Starting Over
by xtr75
Summary: With her marriage having gone through a rocky patch, Charlie hopes that accepting a promotion to a small coastal town, will give her family a chance for a fresh start but will the move be enough or will their problems follow them?
1. Chapter 1

_This is a new story I just came up with recently, hope you enjoy it._

Sun, 1 Jan 2012

Charlie drove, barely seeing the scenery that flashed by. It was the start of a new year and hopefully, Charlie thought, a fresh start for her family. Things had been tough the past few months, she'd been working tirelessly on a big case while the marriage she had thought was rock solid had hit a major hurdle and she'd been forced to confront the harsh reality that her marriage wasn't the garden of roses it had once been. Looking back now, she could see that the problems had been simmering beneath the surface long before that fateful night three months ago when Joey had sat her down and told her that she'd kissed another woman, yet at the time, both women had lacked the skills to recognise the warning signs as they were drifting further and further apart.

Neither woman had much experience in relationships, she was Joey's first relationship while Charlie's had all been short-lived because she had always put her career first. That had all changed when she fell in love with Joey; she'd found a balance to her life and for the first time, she was happy to put the family she adored ahead of her career, yet after a while, she had allowed her career to once again take over. She had been involved in a major case that had slowly started to consume her life and once that was over, another replaced it and before long, she was working ridiculously long hours and had failed to notice that her wife had been become increasingly unhappy and lonely. She had actually thought that Joey was happy, she had returned to studying and was making new friends, yet it had only masked their problems and so Joey's confession had come as a devastating shock. It may have only been a kiss, but it hurt Charlie and she'd felt so betrayed by the woman she'd risked her career to be with, that she'd rushed out of the house and had spent the entire night walking the streets, wondering how it had all gone so wrong. She'd finally realised that she was as much to blame as Joey and so she'd headed home the next morning, more open to listening to Joey. It had been painful to hear the regret and also the extent of loneliness and unhappiness in Joey's voice as she had admitted that in a moment of weakness, she had turned to someone willing to give her the type of attention she'd been missing.

Charlie's hands tightened on the steering wheel as her thoughts drift to the woman Joey had kissed. Joey had taken full responsibility for the kiss, but Charlie held Belle just as accountable. The moment she had seen Belle and Joey together in one of their study groups, it was obvious even to her that Belle had a crush on Joey and she'd had no doubt that Belle had played the attentive friend who was always there for Joey to perfection. She got her back though, Charlie muses, remembering the look on Belle's face when Charlie had told her that she had forgiven Joey and they weren't splitting up and Belle had been pissed off even more when Joey had changed into another study group until she'd graduated.

Charlie had refused to let Joey take all the blame for their marriage problems and apologised for being such a neglectful wife. She had hated it when her own father was absent for most of her childhood because of his work, so as hurtful as it was, Charlie also understood why Joey had turned to someone else, she was just thankful that it had stopped at a kiss and Joey had come to her because she hated to think what would have happened if Joey hadn't had the courage to admit her mistake. "We would have drifted further apart and I'd be alone now," she thought. She glances across at her wife who was staring intently at the passing scenery, still amazed at the strength of love she felt for this woman. Throughout it all, their love for each other had never diminished, but their problems had made them realise that there was more to making a marriage work than just love and they had been working on their communication skills, hoping to avoid falling into the same trap of complacency and had even taken the time for couples counselling. They were well on the way to getting their marriage back on track and she was hoping this move would help but despite Joey's insistence that she accept the promotion, the move also had her worried. It was a smaller station in an area where crime was at a minimum, so it would mean more regular hours, but it also meant Joey would be returning to the scene of her greatest nightmare.

As they pass the Welcome to Summer Bay sign, Charlie glances at her wife again, "How does it feel to be back?"

"Strange, though Mangrove River was more my home than Summer Bay," Joey replies, suddenly filled with trepidation at her return.

Hearing the catch in Joey's voice, Charlie pulls the car over to the side of the road. "Hey," she reaches over, taking Joey's hand. "If this is too hard for you, we can turn around right now and I'll put in for another transfer."

"You've already sacrificed so much for me Charlie, I can't let you risk damaging your career any more for me by asking for another transfer so soon after accepting this one."

"You and Ruby are far more important to me than my job," Charlie says, meaning every word. "Nearly losing you made me realise that."

Joey takes a deep breath. "It's time Charlie, if I'm to truly get past this, then I need to face my past." It had been ten years since she had left as a shattered and frightened 15 year old to live with her older brother and his wife in the city, leaving behind the nightmare of her kidnapping and rape. She'd been the first victim but because she'd hadn't been able to identify either of her attackers, they'd been free to rape five more girls before one of her attackers had slipped up and she had finally learnt the horrifying truth; her own brother had held her captive, drugged and blindfolded while he and his best mate, had raped her over and over again.

"Joey?" Charlie asks in concern.

Joey wipes away the tears that had suddenly started to fall. "I knew this wasn't going to be easy, I just," she shakes her head.

Joey had always considered herself a coward for running away but Charlie had nothing but admiration for Joey's strength. For a young girl to not only have survived such a brutal attack, but to have had the courage to testify in court against her attackers, took a lot of guts, especially when she had been terrified the entire time that one of her attackers would learn the truth about her pregnancy. "Joey, you are the strongest and bravest person I've ever met, you can do this and I'll be right by your side."

Joey smiles at her wife. Ever since Charlie had found out about her past, she'd been telling her the same thing and she'd taken great strength in that and being this close to her past again, she was grateful for the reminder. "This isn't just about facing my past though," she looks over her shoulder at her daughter sleeping on the backseat. Ruby was her most precious gift, despite the way she had been conceived.

"It's going to be fine Joey," Charlie assures her. "Aden loves Ruby and he's more than happy to continue to play along."

Joey smiles fondly at the mention of Aden's name. He was two years older than her, but they'd been inseparable as kids and as teens, everyone had believed them to be a couple, so when Aden had stepped forward to say he had gotten Joey pregnant, no one was really surprised and Joey had been in no state to deny it. She had barely been 15 so she'd been horrified to find out she was pregnant to one of her rapists and was terrified of the stigma her daughter would face if it turned out that her own brother had fathered her baby, so she'd let everyone believe Aden was the father and for years, she had never known herself who the father was because she had been so scared of finding out it was Heath, she had avoided having a DNA test run on Ruby, until Charlie had finally convinced her to. It was like a great weight had been lifted from her shoulders when it showed that Heath wasn't the father, but her rapists wouldn't be in jail forever, so she still couldn't run the risk of either of them thinking they could be Ruby's father which was why Aden continued to be Ruby's dad, a role he was only too happy to fulfil. He had never missed a birthday or Christmas present for Ruby and he visited whenever he was in the city and Ruby had accepted him as her father, even though she knew he wasn't; she was still too young to know the truth, but Joey had told her she'd been hurt by someone and that she would tell her one day, so Ruby was happy to keep the secret; she adored her daddy anyway, just as Aden adored her.

"No one else knows the truth Joey," Charlie's words breaking through Joey's memories. "Not even Darryl."

Joey felt guilty about lying to Darryl, especially when he'd packed up his wife and son to move with her to the city because she couldn't stay here after the trial, but he'd nearly killed Heath when he found out what he'd done to their sister and Joey had been scared Darryl would lose it again and her secret would be out. Darryl had been her guardian ever since their mother had died and their father had taken off and after her rape, he had been so supportive to her, even signing the papers so she could take their mother's maiden name, Collins because she couldn't bear the thought of sharing a name with Heath any longer. When Darryl's marriage broke up three years later, he moved to Summer Bay alone while Joey had remained in the city with Tegan and their son, Casey. And in all the time she'd been away, she'd never been back, not even to visit her big brother or Aden. She sighs heavily.

"Joey, I meant it before, if this ever becomes too hard for you, we're out of here."

"No," she sits up straighter, squaring her shoulders. "I can do this."

The familiar stance and stubbornness brings a smile to Charlie's face.

"What are you grinning at?" Joey asks.

"Just remembering the day we met."

Joey grins back at her, always amazed that after their first meeting that they had even become friends, let alone lovers.

* * *

><p><em>Next chapter, Joey and Charlie meet for the first time.<em>

_Not sure if I can update on New Year's Eve so have a Happy New Year everyone._


	2. Chapter 2

**Joey and Charlie meet for the first time...2007**

* * *

><p>Sergeant James Williams suppressed a smile as the young Constable came striding confidently toward him. Const. Charlie Buckton was one of the best young officers he'd ever seen but while she was intelligent, dedicated and hardworking, he also considered her to be too rigid and lacking in empathy when dealing with the human element of their job, which was why he'd arranged for her latest assignment, though he expected his young officer to be less than enthusiastic when she learned the details.<p>

"Sorry I'm late Sarge, I was processing a suspect."

"Get your man, did you?"

"Got him red-handed."

"Well done and good timing as well, because you're going to have your hands full with a new assignment."

"Assignment?" Charlie says, hoping it meant she was back on the cop killer case. She and her partner had been the first on the scene of the recent murder of an undercover cop and she'd been hoping it would be her big break, but Homicide had come in and hadn't required the help of a mere Constable. It still irked her listening to Robert Robertson's condescending spiel about how it was Homicides duty, not hers to find killers and she should stick with catching shop lifters.

"A witness has come forward in Marcus Harvey's murder investigation." Charlie's anticipation rises at the dead cop's name. "She was walking home and saw the whole thing."

"If she saw a murder take place, why did she wait a month before coming forward?" Charlie asks, though she already suspected the answer; it was only two nights ago when a reward of $300,000 was offered for any information that lead to the conviction of the killer.

"She was scared and considering what she witnessed, she had every reason to be."

"I guess the reward money would help to buy a lot of courage as well." She grimaces at her Sergeant's look of disapproval at her comment.

"Don't be too judgemental toward her Charlie, she's a young woman who witnessed a brutal attack and with the way the media has portrayed this case, it did take a lot of courage for her to come forward in the end."

Having seen for herself the state of the body, Charlie could only imagine what it must have been like to witness someone bludgeoning another human being to death and then reading in the papers that the victim was a cop due to testify against the head of a local gangland organisation, so maybe the witness did have a reason to be scared. "Did she identify him?"

"She didn't even hesitate when she picked his photo out of the pile."

"Then it was Jake Pirovic." Charlie, as had every other cop, had suspected Pirovic right from the start, but they'd had nothing to link him to the crime, until now.

Williams nods. "Homicide and uniforms are trying to track him down now."

"So what do you need me to do?"

"First, I'd like you to take a look at our witness."

With her curiosity peaked and anticipation of what her role would be, Charlie follows eagerly after Williams.

* * *

><p>Having been stuck in a cramped room in the police station for, Joey glances at her watch, five hours, she notes furiously, Joey was starting to regret coming forward but she was desperate for money and the reward offered for information was too much to turn down. Plus, the guilt of staying quiet was eating at her, especially when she'd seen the victim's parents on the news pleading for help. "If only I hadn't taken that shortcut because I was late getting home from work," she mutters for the millionth time since that night and now, because of her shitty luck at being in the wrong place at the wrong time, she was stuck in this room.<p>

* * *

><p>"That's our witness?" Charlie says, peering through the window at the stubborn set of the woman's shoulders and thunderous expression.<p>

"Our very reluctant witness," her Sergeant tells her. "She made her statement and I get the feeling she was hoping that would be enough." He watches the young woman pacing. "But I feel sorry for her because she has no idea that her world is about to be turned upside down and you Charlie, are the one who gets to tell her that she's now in protective custody."

"What!"

"And not just her," he says, feeling quite gleeful at Charlie's reaction. She really did take life and work a little too seriously at times. "She's not the only one you'll be protecting, she has a young daughter."

Charlie groans at the mention of a child, making the Sergeant chuckle. There was an ongoing joke about the Constable being more terrified of children than dangerous criminals. "Wait, what do you mean, that I'll be protecting?" She asks with a sinking feeling.

"Keeping her safe is now your responsibility."

"I'm not trained in protective detail, Sarge."

"You'll be working with Snr Const. Nick Parish, who has a decade of experience you can learn from."

"Why me?"

"You've been wanting in on the case and this detail is going to be time consuming, so."

"So I'm chosen because I have no one at home to miss my long absences," she finishes for him.

"This is a great career move Charlie, a high profile case like this and you'll make Snr Constable at the end of the trial."

Making Senior so quickly would put her ahead of schedule, still, the thought of being stuck with this woman and her kid didn't appeal to her at all. "It's babysitting Sarge, can't someone else do it?"

"It's protecting an innocent woman and child, Constable, which I believe is the duty of all police officers. Charlie, you're going to go far in the Force, but you still have a lot to learn."

It was something Charlie had been hearing from the first day she was a Probationary Constable; she had great potential but she was too by-the-book, too serious and not very approachable. She had no real friends and her relationships fizzled out before they ever really got going, because her career was her sole focus and so she didn't socialise a lot with the other officers. She knew her fellow officers respected her, but she'd heard the nickname they'd labelled her with – the Ice Queen – and though it didn't really bother her, the constant talk of her lacking in areas did. "Is this assignment an order?"

"If you're really against it, you can turn it down."

And I'll never live it down, Charlie thinks silently. "Why can't Snr Const. Parish tell her?"

"He's busy setting up the safe house as we speak."

Charlie groans again. "I'm really going to have to live with this woman?"

"And her daughter. Charlie, this young woman's testimony will put a cop killer behind bars," he reminds her. "Isn't that the important thing here?"

"Of course it is," she states firmly, accepting the assignment. She had a feeling she was going to have to remind herself of that a good many times while she was protecting this woman and her daughter.

"Here's her statement," he hands her a file. "Now go and inform her about her change in circumstances."

* * *

><p>"It's about time," Joey says angrily, turning to confront whoever had finally opened the door, only to be taken aback by the stunning woman now standing in front of her. Reminding herself this woman was a cop and was keeping her here against her will, she dismisses the sudden lustful thoughts that invaded her mind. "I want out of here now."<p>

"I'm sorry Miss," Charlie glances at the file in her hands. "Collins, but that won't be possible."

"Won't Be Possible!" Joey repeats, her raised voice making Charlie wince. "I came in here to help you guys catch a criminal, yet I'm the one who's been locked up for hours."

"You came in for the reward money," Charlie mutters, a little too loudly judging by the woman's furious glare.

"I gave my statement," Joey says through clenched teeth as she walks toward the door. "Now I'm leaving." She jiggles the handle furiously, before kicking the immoveable door in anger.

"As I was trying to say before," Charlie says, trying not to laugh at the woman's desperate, but vain attempt to leave. "You're now a material witness in a murder investigation, which means you're not going to be able to just walk out of here."

"Why the fuck not?" she demands angrily.

"The man you identified is a dangerous criminal, one who works as an enforcer and hitman for organised crime and is linked to up to 8 murders."

"You have got to be fucking kidding me, 8 murders and you still haven't caught the guy. You can't be very good at your job then," she adds scornfully.

Charlie ignores the barb. "For your own safety, you and your daughter will be placed in protective custody."

"No fucking way!" Joey screams. "I just won't testify."

"You've already signed your statement, so if you refuse to testify, we'll subpoena you and force you to testify in court, unless you'd like to go to jail for contempt of court." The last part was unlikely to happen but she doubted the woman realised that.

Joey stares at her, furious with herself for even coming forward and even angrier at this woman for calmly standing there and telling her she couldn't walk away.

Charlie had to admit, the woman was gorgeous and the angry fire in her eyes was rather alluring, perhaps too alluring for she missed the sudden change in her stance and was totally unprepared when the woman's palm connected firmly with her cheek, the sharp slapping sound the only noise in the sudden dead silence before Charlie leapt into action and Joey found herself face down on the table with her hands behind her back. "That's assaulting a police officer, lady."

"Get the fuck off me." Joey struggles against her.

"And I'm charging you," Charlie says, snapping the cuffs shut.

"Why are you cuffing my witness?"

Charlie grimaces at the voice behind her. She should have realised that Angelo would be in charge of prosecuting this case. Ever since he had moved from the Police Force to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, he always managed to get the big cases and considering their antagonism towards each other in the past, stemming from a fierce rivalry at the Academy, it was no wonder the Sergeant hadn't told her about his involvement. "Your witness assaulted me."

"Release her at once," he commanded her. "Did you not hear what I said?" he adds when Charlie failed to do as instructed.

"She can't be allowed to get away with striking an officer."

Joey frowns at the tension that was coming off them in waves.

"Joey is our key witness and it could damage her credibility if she had an assault charge on her record."

With great reluctance, Charlie removes the cuffs, resisting the urge to put them straight back on when the woman smirks at her.

Joey turns on the prosecutor. "I never would have said a thing if I'd known you were going to treat me like a criminal and if the cops had done their fucking job with this guy, I wouldn't be in this position to begin with."

Angelo cuts Charlie off before she could argue, smiling charmingly at Joey. "Joey, the cops have worked hard to bring this man and the people he works for to justice, but until now, we've never been able to link him to the crimes we suspect him of."

"That doesn't make what you're doing to me right," Joey says flatly, her anger draining away as she realises there was no way out, at least not yet. "How long am I going to be stuck with you lot?" her tone making it sound like she was going to be in hell.

"Taking into account the gathering of evidence, tracking down other potential witnesses to this and his other crimes, preparing our case, plus delaying tactics by the defence, then I think we can have you out of here in a year."

"A year," Joey says softly. "A FUCKING YEAR, ARE YOU FUCKING NUTS!" her loud voice bouncing off the walls.

"It will give you time to work on your rather limited vocabulary," Charlie offers snidely.

"Fuck you bitch!"

"Now, now ladies," Angelo nearly takes a step back when both women turn furious gazes on him. "You're going to be spending a lot of time together and it will be a lot easier if you get along."

"Never going to happen," Joey mutters, Charlie agreeing with her wholeheartedly.

"Constable, the safe house has been prepared and an officer has been to Joey's to pack a few bags for her, so why don't you take Joey to pick up her daughter and take them to their new home," suggests Angelo.

"Safe house?" Joey's voice rising again at the turn of events and also resenting the fact that someone had been into her house, sorting through her belongings.

"You didn't actually think you'd be allowed to stay at your place," Charlie says. "It's the first place he'd look."

"Then why don't you do your job and put him in jail or is that asking too much," Joey says sarcastically.

"Even when he's eventually caught," interrupts Angelo. "His brother and friends will still be out there, so your life will still be in danger until after the trial."

"Are they going to know about me?" Joey asks, hating the hint of tremor in her voice.

"We'll keep your name from the press for as long as possible, but once the trial date is set, the defence will be made aware of all the evidence and witnesses against the accused, so yes, they'll know who you are, which is why we're going to do everything to protect you."

Joey scowls at Angelo's reply. "You arseholes." She turns her back on them both.

Angelo shrugs at Charlie. "She's all yours now Constable, try to keep her safe for me."

Charlie rubs her temples, feeling a headache coming on.

"When are you taking me to my jail?"

"It's not a jail."

"Can I come and go as I please?"

"No."

"Then it's a jail."

"Look, Angelo is right, we're going to be stuck with each other for some time, so why don't we try to get along," she says in as conciliatory voice as possible. She sighs when Joey says nothing. "Where do we need to go to pick up your daughter?"

"She's at pre-school."

"I just need to get into civilian clothing, then we can go and get her."

"You bitch!" Joey bangs on the door when she was once again left locked in there alone.

Charlie leans against the door on the other side, feeling her promotion was going to be the hardest ever earned if it meant having to put up with that woman.

* * *

><p>The drive to the safe house had been done in stony silence between the two adults, while Ruby had chatted excitedly, completely oblivious to the simmering dislike between the two woman. Charlie was already regretting her decision to take on the assignment as she walked up the path to the house where a handsome man in shorts and t-shirt was waiting for them. Keeping his voice low, he introduces himself as Nick Parish to the trio, before leading them inside. "Ok, here are the rules," Nick begins, only to have Joey pick up her daughter and go steaming toward a room, the door slamming behind them. "I guess the rules can wait."<p>

Joey opens the door suddenly and stares at Charlie. "Oh, by the way Constable, my vocabulary is fine, it was just the company I was with," she slams the door again.

"Am I missing something?" Nick asks.

"We didn't exactly hit it off."

"That much is obvious." He glances between the closed door and the unhappy looking Charlie. "I have a feeling this could be a very long and uncomfortable assignment," he mutters.

* * *

><p><em>Next Chapter we return to the present; Charlie meets her new work colleagues and Joey runs into familiar faces from her past.<em>


	3. Chapter 3

**Sun, 1 Jan 2012 cont…**

_"What are you grinning at?" Joey asks._

_"Just remembering the day we met."_

_Joey grins back at her, always amazed that after their first meeting that they had even become friends, let alone lovers. _She gently cups Charlie's cheek. "It wasn't personal when I slapped you that day, you just happened to be the unfortunate cop standing there when my frustrations finally boiled over."

"Yeah, well, I didn't really help the situation and I'm glad it was me standing there or I'd never have met the love of my life."

"You'd be a Sergeant with your own station though."

"And that would be all I had. Joey, I chose to be with you, even knowing the consequences to my career and I'd do it all again."

"If we did it again, I could do without all the agro between us."

Charlie grins. "So could I."

"So what's the new Sergeant like, when I was here it was Sgt. Stewart and he was always a good copper."

"I haven't seen Peter since I was a probationary Constable, but he was always fair as my training officer and I've heard good things about his career and him since then." She squeezes Joey's hand softly. "Are you absolutely sure about this Joey?"

"Positive. This move will help heal the wounds of the past and be a new start for us."

Charlie leans over, pressing her lips to Joey's.

"Ewww, gross," a tired voice comes from the back seat. Grinning against Joey's lips, Charlie deepens the kiss. "I need the bathroom," Ruby interrupts.

Sighing, Joey breaks the kiss. "We'll be at our new home in a few minutes."

* * *

><p>Ten minutes later, Charlie was pulling the car into the driveway of their new home and they were getting out. "It looks nice."<p>

"This used to be Aden's townhouse before he moved in with mystery person."

Charlie chuckles. Ever since Aden had said he'd finally found love with a local, Joey had been trying to work out who it could be.

"I really need to go," Ruby hops from one foot to the other.

"Come on then," Joey says, leading them into the house.

Flopping on to the couch, Charlie looks around while Joey shows Ruby to the bathroom. "Not bad," she murmurs. There were boxes everywhere, but with the place already furnished and their belongings arriving the previous day, it meant they could settle straight in and leave the bulk of the unpacking to tomorrow.

"Charlie, you should see my room," Ruby says as she runs down the stairs. "It's great and mum said I could decorate it any way I liked."

"That's not quite what I said, Ruby." Joey sits down on Charlie's lap, snuggling into her arms. "I said you could help choose some of the decorations."

Ruby narrows her eyes, ready to argue when there's a knock at the door. "Wow, that was quick," Charlie says, reluctantly letting go of Joey so she could get to her feet.

"It's probably the neighbour wanting to sticky beak." Opening the door, Joey grins widely before throwing herself at their visitor.

"Daddy!" Ruby cries out excitedly. Letting Joey go, Aden suddenly has his arms full of Ruby.

"Hey baby girl." Setting Ruby back on her feet, he waves to Charlie. "I was just driving past when I saw the car. When did you get in?"

"Only just now." Charlie gives him a quick hug. She had never been jealous of Aden's involvement in Ruby's life, in fact, she welcomed having a male presence in her life. "Nice of you to leave the place in such great shape."

"Yeah, I'm not the slob that Joey remembers." He smirks at Joey. "Though she was always worse than me."

"That hasn't changed," jokes Charlie. "And it's a shame that Ruby takes after her."

Poking her tongue out at her wife, Joey turns her attention to the man hovering just behind Aden. Feeling a flicker of recognition, she couldn't quite place him.

"Joey, you remember Geoff."

With a name to match the face, recognition dawned on her. "You played footy for Summer Bay against Mangrove River and you nearly put Aden in hospital with that high tackle."

Aden grins at Joey's slightly aggressive tone toward Geoff. "See, I told you she'd remember you."

Joey's eyes open in surprise when Aden puts his arm around Geoff's waist. "Oh my god, you and Bible Boy?" she says in disbelief, using the name Aden had always teased Geoff with during inter-school meets.

"Geoff got over his bible thumping phase and found his real calling. Geoff, this is Joey's wife Charlie and this curly haired scamp is our daughter, Ruby."

After introductions had been made, they moved to the kitchen. "Maybe we should have waited until we'd found the box with the kettle and coffee before offering to make drinks," Charlie murmurs at the pile of boxes in front of them. "Do you remember which box it was in?"

"The one marked kitchen," Joey replies.

"Would that be that one, that one, or maybe one of those two boxes over there or perhaps, over there?" asks Charlie, pointing to each box.

"I guess we should have been more specific when we wrote kitchen on all the boxes."

"Look, we kind of dropped in uninvited, so why don't we do coffee another time," suggests Aden.

"I do need to check in at the station, so that might be best."

Joey looks around at all the boxes. "The boxes can wait, I'm going to take Ruby on a walking tour of the town."

"Geoff has to go back to work shortly, why don't I join you?"

"Can daddy come, please mum?"

"Of course he can."

* * *

><p>Pausing at their car, Charlie wraps her arms around Joey's waist. "You don't mind me running out, do you?"<p>

Joey shakes her head. "You need to check in."

"I'll be back as quickly as I can." She leaves Joey with a lingering kiss.

"It's good to see you guys back on track," Aden says.

"I still can't believe I nearly threw it all away."

"You made a mistake Joey and you've worked hard to fix it. How do you feel about being back?"

"Scared, but hopeful." She sighs. "I probably should have done this long ago."

"You weren't ready then, now you are and you have Charlie and me there to support you."

"How did I ever get so lucky as to have you as a friend?"

"You were just blessed," he says in an exaggerated tone of loftiness.

"Or cursed," she replies cheekily. As kids, they'd been neighbours, as teens, they'd been two closeted gay kids only too happy to play along with the town's belief that they were a couple.

"It's really great to have you back Joey and when Brax is back from his trip, he'll be overjoyed."

"I hated only seeing you guys when you came to the city."

"We both understood why you couldn't come here, Joey."

"Come on you two," Ruby yells out, already a distance ahead of them.

"Yep, she definitely takes after you," Aden says, both of them rushing to catch up to her.

* * *

><p>"Jack, you're meant to be taking our son to the movies tonight," Const. Georgie Watson reminds her husband in annoyance. "Romeo's been looking forward to it all week."<p>

"You heard Peter, with the new Senior arriving today, he wants anyone not on duty at the meet and greet tonight. And she has a kid, so we'll just take Romeo with us tonight."

"I suppose so, but you're the one who gets to tell him the movie is off."

"I promise, I'll take him another night."

"Tell that to him and then make sure you don't break your promise again."

Jack sighs as his wife turns her attention back to her work. He'd been hoping their problems at home wouldn't spill over into their work, but lately, things had been becoming tense between them. "Maybe it's time to end things," he thinks to himself. Their marriage had grown stale long ago and if not for their son, they wouldn't have stayed together anyway.

* * *

><p>Charlie strides into the station, exuding confidence, though she didn't really feel it. While being with Joey had taught her how to socialise more, this was a smaller station with fewer officers than she was used to and as Senior Constable, it meant she was going to be dealing with all the officers and not just a few like in the past. And being a small town, it was unlikely she could avoid them outside of work like she once had. Her musings come to an end when she's approached by one of the officers, Const. Jack Holden, according to his badge.<p>

"Can I help you?" Jack asks, trying not to stare too hard at the woman, which wasn't easy when his mind was picturing her in a bikini.

"I'd like to speak to Sgt. Peter Baker."

"He's busy at the," he starts to say, before grinning. "You're the new Senior."

"Guilty as charged. Charlie Buckton."

"Jack Holden." Her husband's a lucky guy, Jack thought as he shakes her hand. "I'll just go tell the Sarge that you're here."

Charlie looks around the reception area, catching the eyes of the constable behind the counter. "Charlie Buckton," she says, smiling as she sticks her hand out. I guess I have changed, Charlie muses. Her greetings in the past were more formal and lacked any attempt at friendliness.

"Georgie Watson." Georgie nervously shakes Charlie's hand, a little intimidated by the officer. She seemed so self-assured, not to mention, drop dead gorgeous.

"Charlie," Peter walks over to her. "It's good to see you again," he greets his old probie warmly.

"You too. Those Sergeant stripes look good on you."

"Always thought you'd have them before me," he says in all honesty, even though he was senior by three years.

"So did I but I found a very lovely distraction along the way."

"I can't wait to meet the lovely distraction in question and hopefully I will tonight when you accept my invitation to the get together I've arranged."

"I'll have to check with Joey."

"My, we have changed."

Charlie grins. "In a good way, I hope."

"From what I've seen, it seems to be. Listen, if it's inconvenient for tonight, you don't have to come, I just thought it would give you and your family a chance to meet my missus and some of the other guys you'll be working with."

"Joey will probably be fine with it, but I'll get back to you as soon as we've spoken."

Peter was definitely surprised by the Charlie that was standing in front of him now; if she had still been the same Charlie he'd first met, she would have avoided the invitation like the plague, yet he sensed with her now, that she was genuinely interested. "I see you've already met two of our finest and you'll be partnering either of these two, depending on the roster." Georgie barely suppressed a groan while Jack smiled broadly at the news. "Why don't you come into my office, we can go over a few things, then you can get back to your family."

"That'd be great." Charlie nods briefly to the two constables, before following Peter.

* * *

><p>"Well, well, if it isn't little Joey Braxton."<p>

Joey grins at the big man. "It's Joey Buckton now," she says. "It's nice to see you again Sgt Stewart."

"I'm retired, so it's just Alf."

"Darryl told me that but I still think of you as Sgt Stewart."

"Are you here visiting Brax?"

"Not just visiting, my wife is the new Snr Constable at Yabbie Creek."

Alf's lips twitch at that information. "I have a feeling some people might be in for a bit of a surprise."

"What do you mean?" Joey asks a little worriedly.

"People know the new Senior is married, though once they found out that Charlie Buckton was a woman, I think they've been expecting a husband."

"Oh." Joey shrugs. "It's not the first time that's happened and I suppose it doesn't help that both our names could be mistaken for either."

"She must be a special woman to have won your heart."

"She is and she's a great mum to our daughter."

Alf follows her eyesight to the little girl paddling in the water with Aden. "So that's Aden's little girl," he says, even though he knew Aden wasn't the father. He'd always known that both Joey and Aden were gay when they were supposed to be dating but for the little girl's sake, he never said anything, not even to Joey, when Aden came forward to take responsibility for getting Joey pregnant. Besides, Aden would be a far better and deserving father than the monster who had fathered the child, so he was happy to take his silence to the grave.

"Yep, that's our pride and joy."

* * *

><p>"We don't have to go tonight," Charlie says for about the fifteenth time since she'd come home.<p>

"You've already called and accepted the invitation. Besides, I'd like to meet your work colleagues and their better halves." She straddles Charlie's legs, her arms around her neck. "Charlie, you don't need to be so worried about work. You accepted this posting because of the more regular hours and I see no harm in spending some of those extra hours you have free with people I hope will become our friends."

"Have I told you lately how much I love you?"

"Not for at least 15 minutes."

"I love you."

"I love you too." A gentle brush of her lips over Charlie's quickly deepens. "Ruby's still out with Aden, so what time did you say we have to be there?" Joey murmurs breathlessly, her lips barely straying from Charlie's.

"At 6."

"Aww, fuck," Joey groans, getting to her feet. "Then this will have to wait because we both still need to shower and get ready."

"A cold shower might be needed in that case." She smirks at Joey. "If you hadn't insisted on starting to unpack the kitchen, we'd have had time to christen our new room."

Joey strips off her top as she pads up the stairs. "Care to save time and christen the shower instead?"

* * *

><p><em>Next Chapter we return to 2007 as Charlie and Joey struggle to adapt to their enforced cohabitation.<em>


	4. Chapter 4

**...2007**

With Joey locked away in her room, Charlie had taken the chance to run home and gather her own things, all the while wondering what the hell she'd gotten herself into. The woman was bad enough but the kid hadn't shut up the entire trip to the safe house and though she had little experience with kids, she knew enough that she couldn't threaten her and muzzling her was definitely out. "Maybe disappointing the Sergeant by turning the assignment down wouldn't have been so bad," she murmurs as she walks back into the safe house. Hearing voices in the kitchen, she hangs back, shamelessly eavesdropping in on their conversation.

* * *

><p>"You are not to leave the house without either me or Charlie, you cannot make any calls without first checking with us and I'll need your mobile." Joey had already noticed that there was no landline, so handing her mobile over would completely cut her off from the outside world. "Joey, I'd let you keep your phone if I could, but the temptation to call someone is too great and we can't risk you making a phone call and having them tracking you."<p>

"They can do that?" Joey asks a little worriedly.

"If they hack into your phone and the gps, then yes."

With a show of great reluctance, Joey hands her mobile over. "This really is a prison," she thought sadly. "What happens to my place?"

"An officer will take over living there, keeping an eye on things and paying your rent."

"What about my family and friends, I can't just disappear?"

"Once your name is out there, chances are, your friends and family will be watched."

"Are they in danger?"

"Unlikely but they can be a danger to you by leading these people straight to you, which is why you need to keep your location secret and to disappear."

"Just like that, I just disappear."

"We can arrange for you to make calls to those close to you, just so they don't worry, but in all sense, you will disappear from their lives."

"What am I supposed to tell them?"

"Tell them that you've accepted a job interstate and when your connection to the case becomes known, only then can you tell them that was the reason behind you leaving."

"I guess that means I can't see them at all."

"I know this isn't going to be easy Joey but we'll do everything we can to make it easier."

"You cut me off from my life, lock me away like a prisoner, just how exactly can you make it easier for me?" she asks with an edge of anger in her voice. "Especially stuck in here with that bitch?"

"I'm a bitch?" Charlie fumed silently from her listening post.

"For a start," Nick says, "You're going to have to make some concessions and find a way to trust us."

Joey shakes her head. "I wish I'd never come forward."

"You saw what this man was capable of, do you really want him out there, free to hurt others?"

"Of course not, but he's the criminal, yet he's the one who's free and I'm being treated like a prisoner."

"This is the best way to protect you and your daughter."

"I may learn to accept this, but it's hardly fair on Ruby, she needs to be around kids her own age."

"We can arrange some play dates."

"With carefully selected children, no doubt." Joey sighs heavily. "What am I supposed to do about money?"

"Is money all you care about?" Charlie asks, finally making her presence known, though Nick didn't seem that surprised she was there and listening in.

"I have a daughter to provide for," snaps Joey.

"Everything you need will be provided for," Nick says, trying to head off an argument. "And as for your reward money, that will be given once you testify and the trial is over."

"I didn't come forward just for the money you know," Joey says, her eyes on Charlie. "I just couldn't stay quiet any longer."

"Your reasons are not my concern," Charlie says dismissively, angering Joey. "I'm only interested in keeping you and your daughter safe."

"Joey," Nick interrupts. "You will need to explain to Ruby that she can't tell people who you are or why you're here. Do you think you can make her understand?"

"I'll tell her it's a game and she'll be fine. We don't have to change our names, do we?"

Nick shakes his head. "Just don't tell anyone your surname."

"Does Ruby's father see much of her?" Charlie asks, completely unprepared when Joey angrily snaps at her to mind her own business.

Biting down her own angry retort, Charlie continues on in an even voice. "I was just asking because you're going to be away for some time and if you have a custody agreement with him, we'll need to get around that."

Joey knew she was being unfair to Charlie, she was just doing her job, but there was something about her that got her back up. "You needn't concern yourself Constable, he won't be a problem."

Charlie shivers a little at the cold and dispassionate way she said those last few words. Feeling eyes on her, she looks down to find the kid standing there, staring up at her. She frowns when the girl thrust her doll toward her. "You keep it kid."

"Ruby, robots don't play with dolls," Joey says with a sweet smile to Charlie.

"This woman will help put away a cop killer," Charlie reminds herself silently, repeating it a couple of more times to stop herself from doing or saying something she'd regret.

Joey gets to her feet and swoops down, picking her daughter up. "I need to talk to Ruby about all of this," she says, not waiting for their response and walking out of the kitchen.

Charlie rolls her eyes at the sound of the bedroom door shutting, thankfully a little quieter than before.

"Charlie, I know you're new to protective detail, but you're going to have to learn to be more understanding and compassionate to Joey and the situation she finds herself in."

"She's impossible," complains Charlie. "All I did was ask about her daughter's father and I get my head bitten off."

"This has all come as a shock to her and it is a massive change to her life so it's going to be difficult for her at first to adjust to her new circumstances and to not see us as the bad guys, she's also got Ruby's happiness to consider, which only adds to her worries."

"I know, I need to be understanding, but I'm just trying to do my job," silently adding that she didn't seem to treat Nick as the bad guy, at least not as much as she did her.

"Joey's not the only one who is going to need to adjust," Nick tells her pointedly. "I'm going to go get some takeout for tea, I don't think you should have too much trouble with Joey while I'm gone."

* * *

><p>Checking the windows and doors before bed, Charlie reflects back to earlier. Tea had been an awkward affair, with Nick and Ruby doing most of the talking while she and Joey had sat there, studiously ignoring each other. The simmering tension between them was obvious but also regrettable because as long as it was there, things were going to be far from pleasant for the both off them. "She should just shut up and accept her situation," Charlie thinks to herself, knowing she wasn't being fair but she'd never met a more aggravating woman before. Nor such a gorgeous one, the thought popping unexpectedly into her mind. "Don't even go there Charlie," she warns herself. Gorgeous or not, Joey was not the type of woman she was interested in and wanting nothing to do with kids, she always steered well away from single mums. "And no one is worth risking my career for." Pausing by Joey's door, her heart softens when she makes out the sound of sobbing. Raising her hand to knock on the door, she stops herself. "She'd just bite my head off." Leaving Joey to her tears, Charlie heads off to her own bed.<p>

* * *

><p>Seeing movement in the light under her bedroom door, Joey prays that whoever it was left her alone. She breathes a sigh of relief when the shadow moves away and the light is turned off. Wiping the tears from her eyes, she vows to stay strong for her daughter's sake. It was all so unfair though, all she had wanted to do was to provide for her daughter and do the right thing by telling the cops what she saw and now once again, her entire world had been drastically altered because of a criminal. It had taken her a long time to recover from what those bastards had done to her and for the nightmares to stop waking her up screaming every night. They still plagued her at times, but she had finally learned to sleep with the light off and to start trusting people again, even men. Trust was still something that didn't come easy though and now she was stuck in a house with two strangers. Nick did seem rather nice but Constable Bitch was another matter entirely, nice to look at but that was about all. Rolling onto her side, she closes her eyes, hoping sleep eventually came but not all that hopeful it would.<p> 


	5. Chapter 5

**…2012**

Pulling up at the club, Joey rushes around to help Charlie out of the car. "I'm fine Joey," Charlie assures her, still embarrassed to have hurt herself. When Joey's bra had landed on her head from where Joey had tossed it so casually aside from the stairs, she'd rushed after her and in her haste, she'd tripped and banged her knee on the edge of the stairs. She was just lucky they were carpeted so it was more her dignity that was hurt than her knee but it had put a stop to their amorous intentions. "Look, its better," she shows Joey by flexing her knee.

"You're still limping."

"But not as much and it's improving every minute." She curls her arms around Joey's waist, pulling her against her. "It's not my knee you're worried about, is it?"

Joey shakes her head. "I'm just nervous about going in there." She glances toward the club. It hadn't really changed that much since she used to come over from Mangrove River to surf here. "There's probably people in there that know me and know what happened to me."

"You're not that same person anymore. You're Joey Buckton, strong, capable woman who doesn't give a shit what other people think."

"Charlie said shit," Ruby pipes in, holding her hand out, adding that would cost her a dollar.

Joey chuckles. "Pay up Charlie, you know the rules, no swearing in front of Ruby."

"Ruby said it too," she complains good naturedly, handing over the fine. "No lollies with that." She returns her attention to Joey. "We don't have to do this tonight if you're not up to it."

"We live in a small town where avoiding people is almost an impossibility, so I might as well get this over with now, especially as you're at my side."

Ruby rolls her eyes as her parents kiss. "I saw that Ruby," Joey murmurs against Charlie's lips.

"Can't we go inside now?" Ruby pleads.

Keeping the kiss lingering a little longer, Charlie reluctantly steps back, taking both her wife's and daughter's hand. "I hope Summer Bay is ready for the Bucktons."

"Too bad if they're not because they're stuck with us," replies Joey.

"Ready?"

Joey smiles at her wife. "Let's do this."

* * *

><p>"They're all staring at us," Joey murmurs from behind the smile plastered to her face.<p>

"Because you're beautiful."

"No, because I'm not a husband."

Charlie had laughed when Joey had told the locals were expecting a husband. It was something they'd both gotten used to and didn't really worry about as most people, once they got over the initial shock, were welcoming.

"It's not our fault people jump to conclusions."

"It is a natural conclusion to jump to."

Charlie grins at her, shrugging. Spying Peter, Charlie takes her wife's hand and leads her family over to him.

* * *

><p>"So this is the lovely distraction," Peter says softly to himself as they near. It was hard to believe Charlie was the same woman known as the Ice Queen but he guessed she'd well and truly thawed and looking at her wife, he could certainly understand why she'd risked her career to be with her. "Glad you could make it, Charlie," he greets her warmly. "I'd like you to meet my wife, Leah, she owns the local diner."<p>

"I passed that on the way through town, it looks lovely."

"Come in someday and the first cuppa is on the house."

"Did I hear someone say free coffee?"

Charlie grins at her wife. "Peter, Leah, this is my wife, Joey and our daughter, Ruby."

Leah hadn't been certain at first, but now up close, she recognised Joey. Like everyone else in town, she'd been horrified by what those poor girls had been subjected to and now, seeing the happy woman standing in front of her, she was pleased to see that Joey had not only recovered, but blossomed. "I don't know if you remember me, but we met a long time ago, though my name was Paulos back then."

Joey studies her more carefully. "You went out on a date with Darryl."

"And he spent the whole evening talking about what he wanted and barely paid attention when I was talking."

"Yeah, sorry about that, but Darryl wasn't exactly clued into social etiquette at the time."

"And he is now?" Charlie asks in an amused tone. She got along with him well enough but she didn't really know Brax that well as she'd only met him a few times when he was visiting his son in the city and she always had a feeling that he wasn't completely happy with Joey being gay, though he never said anything, all the same, she was kind of glad he was away at the moment.

"He has improved," Joey defends her brother with a wry smile. "He actually listens or at least makes like he's listening these days."

"Mum," a little blonde boy comes running up to them. "Romeo's here, can we go to the games room?"

"In a minute. VJ, this is Ruby and her parents, Charlie and Joey."

He spares them a quick glance. "Hi. Mum, please."

"Why don't you ask Ruby if she'd like to join you?"

Sighing with a roll of his eyes, he nods. "Well?" he asks Ruby.

Ruby looks at her parents. "It's up to you Ruby," Charlie tells her.

"Ok, let's go."

"He's usually not so rude," Leah says when the kids had run off.

"Who does Romeo belong to?" asks Joey.

"Romeo is Georgie and Jack's son." Charlie's eyes widen in surprise. She hadn't realised when she'd met them at the station that Georgie and Jack were a couple.

"Constables, right?" Joey says, remembering their names from what Charlie had told her earlier.

"That's right. I've heard a lot about Ruby from Aden, so it's nice to finally put a face to the name."

Charlie squeezes Joey's hand in encouragement, knowing Joey still worried their secret would get out. "We're both glad that Aden will finally get a chance to be a bigger part in her life."

"I have to say, I'm looking forward to Colleen's reaction to this and not just Ruby's arrival." Leah nods toward Joey and Charlie's joined hands.

"Not Colleen Smart?" Joey says.

"There's only one Colleen," Peter points out.

"Thank god," Leah and Joey say together, before sharing a chuckle.

"Who is she?" Charlie asks in curiosity.

"The local gossip," Peter informs her. "If you want to know what's going on, she's the first port of call."

Leah grins. "She also works for me and let's just say that some of her views are rather outdated."

Peter snorts. "That's an understatement; she even had a problem with Leah and I living together before we were married."

"So I'm guessing the new Snr Constable being a lesbian and a mother may not be welcome news," Charlie murmurs.

"But her reaction will be fun to see." Joey puts her arm around Charlie's waist. "We've never let people's opinions bother us before and I'm not about to start with that woman."

Charlie smiles at her, kissing her temple as she leans against her.

"How did you two meet?" Leah asks. Her husband had told her a little bit about Charlie, mostly from when he was her training officer and the woman standing in front of her seemed so different to his description. "Was it love at first sight?"

Her question was met by twin chuckles. "Hardly, within a few minutes of meeting, I'd slapped Charlie's face."

"We pretty much antagonised the hell out of each other," adds Charlie. "But somehow," she gazes lovingly at her wife. "We fell in love."

* * *

><p>"Wow, that is a surprise," Jack says with a shake of the head. "I had no idea the new Senior was a dyke."<p>

"Jack, don't use that word," Georgie scolds him, while trying to get over the shock herself. Going from the looks on everyone's faces, except the Sarge's, they weren't the only ones surprised to find out that the Senior had a wife and not a husband.

"I don't mean anything by it."

"Then don't say it."

"Hey guys, do you want the goss on our new Senior?" Avery says as he joins them.

"What goss?"

"That she nearly got fired because of her wife."

"Where did you hear that?" Georgie asks, curious despite herself.

"I was talking to my brother on the phone just before I got here; he was stationed with the Senior a few years back."

"What did she do?" asks Jack, thinking it was a shame that two gorgeous women like that were gay.

"My brother didn't really go into it, only to say that the Senior got into a lot of trouble because the wife was a witness on some big case."

Georgie studies the couple more intently, finding it somewhat of a relief that the Senior wasn't perfect.

* * *

><p>"I haven't had much of a chance to look around, but from what I've seen, the area is very beautiful," Charlie answers Peter's question of what she thought of the town. She and Joey had been chatting and mingling with her other work colleagues for the past hour, before making their way back to Peter and his wife.<p>

"It is and it's a great place to raise children," Leah tells her, all their eyes on Ruby, Romeo and VJ who seemed to have hit it off from the moment they'd met.

"I did miss the beauty of this place," Joey says softly. She knew that as a local, Leah had to be aware of her past, but like the other familiar faces she'd been reacquainted with that evening, not one had brought up her past.

Charlie leans over, whispering into her ear. "We'll make wonderful, new memories here," she promises.

Peter's brow goes up when Charlie kisses her wife. "Definitely thawed out," he said, a little too loudly when the three women gaze at him.

"I have to agree," Joey says, knowing exactly what he was referring to. "Snuggling up to an Ice Queen was never an option, so I had to break through the ice to the wonderful woman in the centre."

Blushing furiously, Charlie stares at her feet. Peter chuckles, enjoying this very human Charlie while congratulating Joey on her success. "Enough all ready," Charlie mutters in embarrassment.

* * *

><p>"Hi, I'm Joey," she introduces herself to the woman who seemed to be the only person she hadn't met that night. She also seemed to be the only person not enjoying herself.<p>

"Georgie." Just my luck, she thought, this woman was gorgeous too.

"I thought we could get to know each other a little better seeing as how our offspring are likely to be spending a lot of time together."

Georgie had noticed the way the kids had been getting along. "With a month to go of school holidays, the three of them could cause a lot of damage," she jokes, surprising herself.

"It's a good thing then that I'm on good terms with the cops." Georgie smiles, finally relaxing for the first time that night. "How long have you and your husband been in the Bay for?"

"Nearly three years."

"Ah, still a long way to go before you're even considered a local."

"You sound like you know the place."

"I'm from Mangrove River originally, but I used to come to the Bay quite often with my brother Darryl. He lives in the Bay now too."

"Darryl?" There was only one Darryl she could think of. "As in Brax?"

"The one and only."

"Then you're," she starts to say, before cursing to herself.

"That one," Joey finishes for her.

"I'm sorry, that was insensitive of me." Though it was a few years before her time in the Bay, Georgie was well aware of what had happened to Brax's sister and their brother.

"I knew coming back here that I'd have to face my past."

"And idiot's like me putting my foot in it."

"It's ok Georgie, it's actually kind of a relief that someone has said something because it's fairly obvious a lot of people know."

"As bad as this town can be about gossip, it's surprising the times when people can keep their silence out of respect for others."

Thinking back to how the town rallied behind her when she wasn't even from the Bay, Joey had to agree.

* * *

><p>Washing her hands, Charlie tries to ignore the grunting and groaning going on in the cubicle behind her. Whoever it was were so clearly involved in each other they hadn't heard her enter. "Oh god, harder," a woman's muffled voice moans.<p>

Shaking her head with a grin, Charlie glances at the cubicle, wondering if she should announce her presence. "I'm not officially on duty until tomorrow," she reminds herself, deciding that the paperwork for charging them with an indecent act in public wasn't worth the effort, though she did make sure to close the door loudly behind her.

"Oh shit," the man whispers.

"It's too late now." She groans in disappointment when he steps away from her. "How long are you going to keep running back to a wife you don't love?"

"I do love her."

"You're not in love with her though."

"This isn't the time."

* * *

><p>Carrying her sleeping daughter up the stairs, Joey murmurs to herself about Ruby getting too big to carry. Gently laying her daughter onto her bed, she pulls the covers over her. She smiles down at her daughter's peaceful expression. "I love you," she presses her lips to Ruby's forehead. "Sleep well."<p>

* * *

><p>Joining her wife in their room, she walks into Charlie's waiting arms. "I enjoyed tonight, everyone seems so nice," Charlie says, brushing her lips briefly over Joey's.<p>

"Yeah. Even though I didn't actually live in the Bay, it still feels like coming home, all these familiar faces and the friendliness of the people."

"How are you feeling now about being back?" Charlie asks, holding her tight.

"A lot better. I was a little worried about people recognising me and how they'd react, but they were great." Charlie had noticed the same thing. she could see the recognition in their eyes when they looked at Joey and had held her breath each time, but they had respected Joey's privacy and greeted her warmly. "And it's been great to catch up with Aden and talk to some familiar faces."

"I'm glad." She grins at Joey suddenly, "How about we pick up where we left off earlier?"

"Are you sure you're up for it," taunts Joey. "It's been a long day and you're not as young as you used to be."

"Neither are you."

"But I'll always be younger than you," she teases.

Charlie moves so quickly that Joey found herself on her back on the bed with Charlie's mouth over hers before she could blink. "And I'll always be quicker," Charlie murmurs against her lips.

Spending a few minutes exploring Joey's mouth, Charlie sits up, straddling Joey's waist, leaning over with her hands either side of Joey's head. "What happened to the taunts?"

"It's a little hard to talk with your tongue down my throat."

"Any excuse."

"Charlie?"

"Yeah?"

"Are going to talk all night or let actions speak louder than words?"

"I was thinking of talking all night, because you know at my age, strenuous exercise is rather exhausting." She'd barely finished her words when a flick of Joey's hips had her on her back and Joey over her.

"You talk too much." Silencing any more talk with her mouth. Running her tongue over Charlie's lips, she groans when Charlie opens for her.

Rolling them onto their side, Joey teases Charlie with the feather light touches of her fingers along her side, brushing teasingly over her breasts, Charlie's nipples hardening instantly at the touch. "God Joey," she gasps into Joey's mouth, her body burning with desire.

Enjoying the way Charlie's body responded to her touch, Joey continued her torment, her lips leaving Charlie's and finding one of the hardened peaks through the material of Charlie's dress and then the other nipple. Thrusting her chest out toward Joey's mouth, Charlie shivers in anticipation as one of Joey's hands steals to the zip on her dress, unzipping it slowly.

Rolling Charlie onto her back again, she grins down at her panting wife before crushing her lips to hers. Almost breathless from the kiss, Joey takes a moment to get her own desire in check, her lips once again finding Charlie's, before following the path of her hands as they tug gently on Charlie's dress, trailing light kisses along her skin as the treasures beneath are slowly revealed. "I love it when you go braless," she sighs happily, her warm breath on Charlie's nipple sending a jolt of sensation through Charlie, which only tripled when it disappeared into Joey's warm, moist mouth.

Charlie very nearly came right then. It always marvelled her how Joey could bring her with the barest of touches at times. Wanting more, but unable to find her voice, she tugs on Joey's top.

"What?" Joey murmurs around the nipple in her mouth, grinning when Charlie thrust her breast hard against her mouth. Nipping gently on the nipple, she finally relents and sits up, straddling Charlie's waist.

Charlie gazes up at her. "I think you're a little over dressed for the occasion," she finally finds her voice.

Tugging on her top, Joey starts to pull it over her head, moaning when Charlie's hands cup her breasts. Tossing the top to the floor, she leans into Charlie's hands. "You're still too over dressed," Charlie tweaks her nipples through her bra.

Quickly making light work of the rest of her clothes, Joey lies naked by Charlie's side, their lips centimetres from each other. "Now, you're the one overdressed," her hand gliding over the smooth material of Charlie's panties.

"Why don't you do something about it," Charlie suggests, her breath catching when Joey's finger finds its way under the band and dips inside her, teasing her for a second, before leaving.

Kissing her way down Charlie's body, Joey pauses to flick her tongue over each nipple, before continuing down. Kissing Charlie's sex through the material, she slowly slides the panties down Charlie's long legs.

Charlie squeezes her eyes shut when she feels Joey's warm breath over her sex, her hips thrusting widely when Joey's tongue flicks back and forth over her clit. "Oh fuck," she gasps, as Joey pushes one finger, then another inside her, thrusting in time to the flick of her tongue.

Clutching the sheets tightly, she bucks against Joey's tongue and fingers, her body going rigid when Joey sucks her clit into her mouth. Screaming out her climax, her hips buck erratically as Joey continues to thrust inside her, quickly bringing her to another climax.

Lying back, breathing heavily, she smiles when Joey lies next to her, kissing her gently, groaning when she tastes herself on Joey's lips and tongue.

"Too strenuous for you?" Joey cheekily asks.

"I think you're out of practice, because I can still go again." Capturing Joey's lips and letting her hand trail down, finding the heat between her wife's legs. She glides her fingers through the wet heat, teasing Joey's clit, eliciting a longing gasp from her wife. Her tongue demanding entry, she enters Joey's mouth at the same time her fingers find their way inside her.

"Ahhhh!" Joey moans in pleasure around Charlie's tongue when her thumb presses hard on her clit. Hooking her leg over Charlie's, she rocks her hips against Charlie's hand, encouraging her to go deeper.

Deepening her thrusts and the pressure on Joey's clit, Charlie continues her assault on Joey's mouth, Joey's hips thrusting harder against her now.

"Fuck," Joey cries out as her body spasms around the fingers deep inside her.

"Had enough," Charlie taunts her, not allowing Joey to catch her breath as she increases her thrusts.

"Never," Joey answers, her own fingers sliding into Charlie, matching her thrust for thrust.

Lying side by side, lips locked in a passionate kiss, their breasts pressed together, nipples dancing against each other, the room was filled with the sounds of their pleasure as they thrust frantically toward their next climax.

Feeling she was close, Joey grinds herself onto the invading fingers, Charlie doing the same as their thrusts became more erratic. When Charlie's thumb flicks her clit, it's enough to send Joey over, her body arching into Charlie's as she screams out her pleasure. Watching her wife in the throes of her climax was too much for Charlie, her own cries joining Joey's.

Panting heavily, they lie with their legs still entangled.

"That was a wonderful way to make new memories and christen our room," Joey murmurs breathlessly a short time later.

Charlie can only murmur in agreement. Snuggling against her wife, she closes her eyes, still breathing heavily. She smiles when she feels Joey's lips pressed to her forehead. "Sorry baby, but I'm conceding defeat for the night."

Kissing Charlie again, Joey sighs in contentment as she holds her wife close.


	6. Chapter 6

**…2007**

The next morning, Charlie's shaken awake by Nick. "They're gone."

It takes a moment for Charlie to realise what he meant, before she was throwing back the covers and searching for her clothes, any sympathy she may have started to feel last night, well and truly gone.

"And to make matters worse, somehow the media got a hold of her name and her face is all over the papers," Nick says, his back to Charlie while she dresses.

"Damn it. How could she be so stupid?" Charlie fumes.

"Don't be too hard on her Charlie, it's not easy for people to have to give up their lives like Joey's been forced to, it's even harder when there is a child involved."

"Well she's not doing a very good job of looking after her daughter, she could get both of them killed."

"Look, the paper is inside, so she must have only just left and I checked her room, she only took an overnight bag and with her daughter with her, I doubt they've gotten far."

Charlie had been surprised to learn that Joey didn't know how to drive and they'd confiscated her mobile, so her only options would be the bus stop a few blocks over or to find a public pay phone to call a taxi, the nearest being five blocks away.

Nick's brow rises when Charlie tells him this. "You've been busy."

"As much as she may not like it, she's my responsibility and I intend to keep her and her daughter safe, so I spent the night going over all options available to her should she be stupid enough to pull a stunt like this." Charlie strides from the room, muttering that she'd handcuff her to the bed if it meant keeping her safe.

"This job is never dull," Nick muses to himself, nearly having to run to catch up with Charlie.

* * *

><p>Angelo admires the article. He didn't feel guilty at all about leaking Joey's name to the press; she was his witness and he didn't want her blowing it by refusing to testify and now that her name was everywhere, she had little choice but to testify and rely on them to protect her. And if his new assistant was any good, he might just have something more to keep his reluctant witness in check.<p>

* * *

><p>"What part of you are not to leave the house without one of us did you not understand?" Charlie demands as she all but drags Joey back into the safe house fifteen minutes after finding her at a bus stop.<p>

"What happened to keeping my name from the press for as long as possible," Joey fires back, still fuming about the lecture she'd had to endure on their way back. "One fucking day is all it took to have my face plastered all over the fucking news."

"Nice to see you've expanded your vocabulary."

Joey walks up to Charlie until they were face to face.

"Her eyes really are gorgeous when she's angry," Charlie thinks to herself, all the time making sure she was prepared should Joey strike out at her again. "Perhaps if I swore while I explained the rules again, you'd understand them a little better," she offers with a large dose of sarcasm. It was so unlike her to react to someone like this, but there was something about this woman that made her act so out of character.

"And maybe if you took that stick out of your arse, you wouldn't be such an insensitive, heartless bitch," Joey answers back. "My whole life has been completely turned upside down and my home is now a jail cell with Cruella de Bitch as the prison warden but you don't care about that, because this is just a job to you."

"That job is to keep you alive."

"And I just bet you excel at your job so something happening to me would be a nasty stain on your reputation."

"I am good at my job," Charlie's face only inches from Joey's. "And if you weren't such an ungrateful little brat, you'd see that was a good thing, or maybe your daughter just isn't that important to you and you'd like to end up dead." The minute she said it, Charlie knew she'd overstepped; the pain and fear for her daughter was clear in Joey's eyes, as was her anger and hate toward her. "I think we both need to take a step back and catch our breaths."

"Take as many steps back as you'd like," Joey's voice low and expressionless. "As long as it is far away from me."

"Mummy, Nick said we're going to a new place to stay," Ruby says, running into the house to her mother. "And my room is going to be even bigger," she adds excitedly.

Joey was glad Ruby had adapted to the situation so quickly, unlike her as she turns an angry glare on Nick, who was wearing the same smile he always seemed to have.

"Don't get comfortable ladies, thanks to the early release of Joey's name, we're going to have to move to somewhere safer," Nick informs them. "Can I trust you ladies not to kill each other while I arrange things?" he asks with a hint of warning in his tone.

"I'll keep an eye on them Nick," offers Ruby.

Even Charlie found herself smiling at that.

Joey takes her daughter's hand. "Let's go get something to eat and leave Cruella to her work." Joey smirks at Charlie, who was struggling to keep her own anger in check. "She has something rather large to extract."

"Her name is Charlie, mum," Ruby reminds her.

"Oh is it?" Joey says innocently, leading her daughter toward the kitchen. "I must have misheard."

"You two are like a couple I used to know," Nick says the moment he was alone with Charlie. "Loved each other to bits but were constantly finding ways to piss each other off."

"Only a saint could love that woman," Charlie mutters through clenched teeth.

"You're the police officer here Charlie, it's up to you to adapt to the situation, not make it more difficult and if you can't find a way to be civil with each other, I'm going to have to request you be replaced because I can't have your antagonism toward each other driving her to do something stupid again."

Charlie stifles a gasp. Being removed from an assignment really wouldn't look good on her record and would probably only reinforce the belief some had that she was lacking in areas.

"Now, I'll be back in a few hours, so try not to spill any blood on the carpet."

* * *

><p>"How is moving here safer?" Joey asks as she dumps her bags, now known as her life, onto the floor.<p>

"Because people here keep to themselves," answers Nick. "Now, you remember the cover story?"

Joey nods. Unlike before, they were going to have to play a new role. "You're my brother and Cruella is your wife and you're letting me stay with you because my marriage has broken up."

"That's right. Do you think Ruby can keep to the story?"

"She loves make believe and she thinks this is all a game."

"Maybe that's a good thing."

"I hate this," she sighs heavily as she flops onto the couch. "Did you find out how they found out about me so quickly?"

"It's a high profile case and if there was any journo about when Angelo was speaking to you, it wouldn't have taken them long to put two and two together and track down who you were. I'm just sorry it happened so quickly."

"And I'm sorry for running away earlier, I just panicked when I saw the paper."

"I understand this is hard for you Joey, but as I said yesterday, you need to trust us."

"It's not that easy for me to trust," Joey says in a small voice.

Nick had dealt with many victims before and in Joey, he saw a scared woman hiding beneath the tough exterior she projected and he suspected Charlie had yet to learn how to read between the lines, which was why she reacted to Joey's attitude instead of understanding it. "We really are here to help you Joey," Nick reasons with her, adding cheekily, "Even Cruella."

Joey's lips twitch. "I haven't really been fair to her, have I?"

"It has made things interesting but it can't go on like this. Joey, this is the first time Charlie has had an assignment like this, so she's still adjusting to the different requirements necessary and like you, we've both had to put our lives on hold."

"I guess I never thought of that."

"We're all in the same boat here Joey and it's going to take some time for all of us to find a way to get along but the agro needs to stop now."

"It's not you Nick, I actually think you're a nice guy but that woman." Joey shrugs, "She just rubs me the wrong way."

"That seems to be mutual. Give her a chance Joey, for all of our sakes."

"I'll try."

"My room is great!" Ruby screeches as she launches herself at her mother.

Joey grins, holding her close as her daughter chatted enthusiastically. Despite the way she was conceived, Ruby had brought nothing but joy and love into Joey's life and she relished that right now.

* * *

><p>Hovering by the door, Charlie watches mother and daughter together, feeling a stab of pain. It was just her and her father since her mother's death and she still missed her terribly, the unconditional love she provided, the confidante she became as Charlie began to realise she was different to the other girls at school. Wiping a stray tear, she turns from the little family moment and walks to her room, closing the door softly behind her, alone as always.<p> 


	7. Chapter 7

**…2012**

Charlie groans in pleasure. She and Joey had only been kissing, but it still made her heart race. "I should be getting ready for work," she murmurs against Joey's lips.

"What's stopping you?"

"My beautiful wife distracting me."

"Is it my fault you lack will power?"

Grinning, Charlie flips Joey onto her back, moving over her. "Only where you're concerned."

Joey smiles up at her. "I guess being late on your first day at a new station is kind of a no-no."

"Just a bit." She brushes her hand lightly over Joey's cheek. "I really wish I didn't have to leave this bed."

"You're doing a very good job of not leaving it."

Sighing, Charlie ducks in for a quick kiss before moving off the bed. "What do you plan to do today?" Charlie asks as she puts her uniform on.

"I'm going to do some unpacking and I'll probably stop in at the Diner to see Leah."

"Going for your free coffee, are you?" she teases.

"After all that unpacking, I'm going to need refuelling and I bet you'll be in there sometime today to get your free coffee."

Charlie grins in agreement. "How about we meet at the Diner for lunch?"

"I'd like that."

Kneeling on the edge of the bed, Charlie allows her eyes to roam appreciatively over her beautiful wife. "You just have to tease me, don't you?"

"I can't win with you, I wear a nightgown, you complain, I lie here naked, you complain."

"It's not the lying naked I have a problem with, it's the 'come ravish me now' pose." Charlie brushes her lips over Joey's. "You'd best get dressed before Ruby comes barging in."

"She knows to knock first."

"Yes she does, but when was the last time she actually waited for permission after knocking before barging in."

"Good point." Crawling slowly over to edge of the bed, she grins cheekily at Charlie.

"Stop it you minx," Charlie says, averting her gaze to avoid temptation. "I'm going to head downstairs while I still can." Charlie leaves the room to the sound of Joey's laughter.

* * *

><p>Charlie glances at her partner. Aside from a greeting and the odd word every now and again about where they were driving, Georgie hadn't said much at all, unless Charlie had asked a question. She hoped it was just nervousness on Georgie's part at being paired with a new partner and a senior officer, because her lack of interaction could become a bit of a problem over time.<p>

Much to Georgie's chagrin, a late change in the roster had put Jack, who had been hoping to partner the new senior, behind the counter and her in a car with a woman who made her feel small and uncomfortable, especially with the way she was watching her now. Women like Charlie always intimidated her; she was beautiful, confident and wore the uniform as if she was born to it, she was everything she wasn't.

"I guess everyone wasn't expecting me to be gay," Charlie says when the silence in the car was becoming too much. She hadn't missed the curious stares when she'd arrived at the station this morning, nor the whispering that stopped whenever she was nearby. No doubt word of her reprimand would be circulating soon, if it wasn't already. "Oh, the joys of starting a new job," she muses silently. She hadn't said anything, but she had a feeling most wouldn't be gossiping about her again.

"No, the Sarge kind of left out that Joey was a woman when he told us you had a family."

"That sounds like Peter."

"I take it you knew him from before."

"He was my training officer when I was a probie."

Even knowing that Charlie had nearly been fired over some trouble, Georgie still couldn't imagine her as a Probationary Constable, especially after she'd walked into the station this morning as if she owned it, and with a single gaze around the room, made those who'd been gossiping feel like guilty little children who'd been busted.

"How do you like living in Summer Bay?" Charlie asks in an effort to get Georgie to relax.

"I love it."

Charlie sighs softly when Georgie offers nothing more. "This could be a long day," she murmurs to herself.

* * *

><p>Joey covers her eyes, her daughter's enthusiasm for rollerblading always made her heart leap into her mouth.<p>

"She's really good."

Joey peers through her fingers at Aden. "Please don't say that where she can hear it."

"I thought we were supposed to encourage kids."

"Not when it's dangerous." Joey looks at her friend. "Are you sure you want to keep doing this Aden?" Since she'd found out Aden was in a long-term relationship, she'd been a little worried that he'd change his mind about Ruby, especially as it meant lying to Geoff. She needn't have worried though as Aden smiles at her.

"The chances of me becoming a father in my own right are slim and I love Ruby, so until the day I die, I'll be a dad to her."

"I love you Aden," Joey says, hugging him tight.

"I love you too Jo."

* * *

><p>"Why don't you join us for lunch?" Charlie suggests to Georgie, almost laughing at the horrified look on the poor woman's face. Despite her best efforts at small talk, which she had to admit she wasn't always very good at, she hadn't managed to get Georgie to relax around her. "Maybe Joey will have better luck with her," she thinks to herself as she waits for an answer. "I know Joey would be happy to see you again," Charlie says in encouragement.<p>

Seeing no way out without appearing rude, Georgie accepts the invitation.

* * *

><p>"Joey Braxton, isn't it?"<p>

Joey smiles sweetly at Colleen, choosing not to correct her on her last name and finding it somewhat of a surprise that a gossip like Colleen seemed to be a little out of the loop as to who she now was.

"It was such a tragedy what happened to you." Behind Colleen, Leah groans at her employee's lack of tack. "Those animals should have been put down."

"Colleen, I hardly think Joey wants to be discussing her past in such a public place, especially with her daughter sitting nearby."

"That's another thing, your daughter being born," Colleen starts, only to be cut off by Leah telling her to deal with the other customers.

"Sorry about that but she was getting ready to launch into a lecture on children born out of wedlock."

"How could you tell?"

"Because I got the same lecture when I got pregnant with VJ and it made little difference to Colleen that I would have been married before VJ was born had Vinnie not died."

"One thing with Colleen, she's always consistent."

Leah smiles wryly. "Her heart is usually in the right place, it's just that she fails to realise how cruel and malicious she can sometimes be with her comments. I hope she didn't upset you with what she said."

Joey shakes her head. "I kind of expected it and I'm sure Colleen won't be the last. Actually, back when it happened, Colleen was quite nice to me, in between bouts of her insensitivity of course and she wasn't the only one. People I barely knew supported me, gave me words of encouragement. It almost became too much." She shrugs, "I couldn't stay, not even with them in jail and all the support I had in the River and here."

"Everyone understood when you left and I'm glad you were able to move on with your life."

"It hasn't always been easy but having Ruby to care for, then falling in love with Charlie, helped me to move forward and I think coming back here with my family will be a good thing."

"I really hope so Joey though I'm sure Colleen's going to have a field day when she finds out who you're married to."

"Well, we're about to see her reaction."

Leah turns, smiling at the way Charlie was striding toward her goal, Georgie nearly having to run to keep up. Moments later, Charlie's lips met Joey's and they were greeted to the sound of dishes smashing on the floor.

"I think Colleen knows the new cop is a lesbian," Joey murmurs.

"Really?" Charlie leans back with Joey in her arms. "How would she know that?"

"I don't think straight cops stick their tongue down the throat of someone of the same sex."

"Sorry," Charlie grins wryly, but without any embarrassment. "I just missed you like crazy."

"It's only been a few hours."

"That's a long time." Charlie leans in closer, keeping her voice to a whisper. "It doesn't help that my side kick is of the silent variety. I hope you don't mind me inviting her, but I'm trying to get her to loosen up."

"It might take more than lunch," Joey whispers back. "You're kind of intimidating, especially to junior officers and I get the feeling Georgie is a little shy and reserved around some people."

"I'll go easy on her."

Georgie hovers to the side, feeling a pang of jealously at the loving couple. Joey hadn't been the only one who had noticed Jack's exit from the toilets the previous night. He had always thought he'd been discreet with his affair, but Georgie had known Jack long enough to pick up on his lies and behaviour. She could hardly blame him though for seeking sex elsewhere when she'd been denying him for so long, but it hurt that he thought he couldn't be honest with her, that he had to sneak around instead of admitting what they both knew, their marriage was finished and she hated herself for being so weak as to not call him out on it and to end the marriage herself. "Huh?" her attention drawn back to the present.

Joey smiles warmly at her. "I said it's nice to see you again."

Georgie couldn't help but smile back at Joey. She had been so nice to her last night and to her surprise, Georgie had felt herself relaxing in her company quicker than she usually did.

Charlie rolls her eyes at the ease Joey dealt with people and got them to relax around her. Though she had changed a great deal since meeting Joey, she knew that she'd never be able to do what Joey did because Joey was right, people did find her intimidating and the uniform didn't help.

"It's not right," Colleen's voice carries. "It's unnatural."

"Colleen, that's enough," Leah warns.

"But she's a police officer."

"What has that got to do with her being married and in love?"

Colleen's eyes widen when Charlie bends to hug her daughter. "But, but," she stutters, at a loss for words.

"Will wonders never cease, Colleen Smart speechless," jokes Joey. "Let's ignore her and eat."

Charlie nods in agreement. Taking her daughter's hand and leading them to the table, she asks Ruby what she'd been up to that morning.

"I had so much fun, Charlie," Ruby begins enthusiastically, taking their minds off the woman glowering at them from the kitchen.


	8. Chapter 8

**...2007**

Angelo knew the media was digging into Joey's past, so he'd sent his own assistant on the same errand. If there was something in her past that could damage her credibility, he wanted to know about it and just in case there was, he'd sought a suppression order preventing all media from mentioning anything about Joey, even her name, to the public. He grins at how easy it was to convince Judge Bishop that Joey's life could be in danger if her picture and name was continually over the media and they couldn't risk the accused reading or hearing something that may lead him to the witness. The accused may be considered innocent until proven guilty, but the Pirovic name was well known and no judge was willing to take the risk of having a dead witness on his or her conscience. Angelo also hoped that if there was something in Joey's past, he could use it to keep his reluctant witness in check. He'd heard about her little excursion last week and he didn't want a repeat performance.

* * *

><p>Charlie flops down onto the couch, exhausted from the constant battle of wits. "The woman just won't let up," she moans. A week had passed since they'd moved to the new safe house and it didn't seem to matter what she said or did or that she was there to protect her, Joey still resented her presence.<p>

Nick smiles in good humour. Compared to some, Joey was a joy to deal with, at least for him and in fairness to Joey, she had been trying not to take things out on Charlie and had even stopped calling her Cruella, but there were still the occasional clashes as they rubbed each other up the wrong way and brought the worst out in each other. Hopefully it wouldn't be too much longer before the clashes stopped altogether.

* * *

><p>Angelo looks up when his assistant enters his office. "Do you have anything?"<p>

Trey nods. "You were right about there being a reason for Joey changing her name."

Angelo smiles. He hated it when people thought they could lie to him and get away with it, not that she had actually lied, but he'd sensed her evasiveness about her past.

"Collins is her mother's maiden name," Trey continues. "But she was born Johanna Elizabeth Braxton."

"And the reason for the name change?"

"Her old name is linked to a major criminal court case from five years ago, but she was under aged at the time, so the records are sealed."

"Great, my star witness could be lowlife scum," he thinks to himself, though he supposed it was a good thing the media wouldn't be able to get access to sealed records.

"It wasn't easy, but I called in some favours and while I couldn't get a look at the file, I was given a brief run down on what was in it; Joey testified in court after she was raped." Seeing the calculating gleam in Angelo's eyes, Trey was glad he didn't have a copy of the file so he wouldn't have to tell him who she had been raped by.

"Five years, huh?" Angelo murmurs. "Her kid's about that age, right?"

"I had the same thought, but I took a trip to her home town and found out she was pregnant to some kid by the name of Aden Jeffries at the time she was raped."

"A slutty teen who got knocked up by some boy isn't anything out of the ordinary so it shouldn't really dent her credibility. Anything else?"

"The Braxton name is well known, especially to the police. The eldest brother is an ex-gang leader and the other brother was a gang member with multiple stints in jail and is currently back inside." He left out the reasons why. "As for Joey, as far as the people I asked were concerned, Joey was a sweet young girl born into the wrong family, though they did have good things to say about the eldest brother after he'd left the gang."

"15 and pregnant is these peoples idea of a sweet young girl?" Angelo shakes his head. "What about her life now, is there anything there?"

"Nothing I could find. She doesn't date, has a steady job as a receptionist and everyone I spoke to only has good things to say about her."

"Not even a parking ticket?"

"She doesn't have a licence, let alone a car."

"She has a short fuse, Buckton found that out, so are you telling me there's not one single thing you could find?"

"I checked under both her names, she's clean."

Angelo sits back in his chair, grinning. "I think I might have the perfect witness. It might be hard to keep her in line, but the fact that the defence has nothing to discredit her with makes up for that and if they do try to tear her apart, we just happen to mention her tragic rape to illicit sympathy for her and it'll make the defence look like insensitive bullies."

For Joey's sake, Trey hoped it didn't come to that and not for the first time since he'd been assigned to Angelo's office, Trey found himself disliking him. Angelo may have an outstanding success rate of getting the criminals convicted, but he was a callous bastard who was never interested in anything except putting criminals behind bars and he didn't care who he had to hurt along the way to achieve that.

* * *

><p><strong>ONE MONTH LATER<strong>

The press had still tried to dig up dirt or any information they could about Joey but had surprisingly hit a brick wall, none of her friends or work colleagues were willing to talk, not that it would get the media anywhere even if they had talked. The suppression gag was still in force, despite the media's attempts to fight the ban and as much as she disliked the man, Charlie did admire Angelo's skill in the courtroom so she doubted the media would have much luck getting the gag removed. Not having her name splashed everywhere, also seemed to have helped Joey to relax a little more, especially when Nick allowed her to keep regular phone contact with her family since everyone now knew she was in witness protection and so she didn't have to lie.

For Charlie, it was also a relief as things had finally begun to settle down. Joey hadn't tried to run again and the agro between them had stopped, though that was probably more to do with them basically ignoring each other and if they did have to speak to each other, it was always with as much civility as they could muster, even if it sounded forced. In the last week or so though, she had noticed that their conversations were starting to flow more naturally, but things could still be a little bumpy at times.

Charlie sits back in her chair, rubbing her eyes. She'd been studying for the past few hours without a proper break. Nick thought it was amusing how seriously she took her job, including spending hours poring over files on Jake Pirovic and his known associates so she could anticipate and be prepared should he make a move against Joey.

At the sound of laughter and splashing, she moves to the window. Despite Nick saying people kept to themselves here, they'd struck up a friendship with the neighbour, or she should say, Joey, Nick and Ruby had made friends with the neighbour, Shannon Reed. A little older than herself, Shannon was a professional writer whose wife Mandy had died two years previously and left her with two kids who were around Ruby's age. A thorough check hadn't turned up anything which could make her a threat. Her eyes narrow as Shannon places her hand to the small of Joey's back. Except that, Charlie thought. It seemed Shannon had taken a romantic interest in Joey, much to Charlie's annoyance. They were supposed to be playing a role and while Charlie knew Joey was a lesbian, her role was supposed to be as a woman recently separated from her husband and though Shannon seemed to respect that to a degree, Charlie was worried Joey would succumb to her charms just to get back at her. She sighs. Charlie thought she'd been very reasonable when she pointed out to Joey that Shannon needed to believe their story and getting it on with a lesbian would kind of ruin that, yet Joey had rather snidely reminded her that she was separated from her imaginary husband so seeking comfort with another would not be that strange and there was such a thing as people who liked both sexes. If Nick hadn't walked into the room, Charlie suspected things could have gotten more heated between them but she was glad it hadn't led to yet more agro once they'd finally cooled down.

Charlie turns away from the fun scenes being played out next door. Only an hour ago, Ruby had burst into her room and tried to drag her next door, but as with every other attempt the little girl had made to include her in things, she had resisted. She kept telling herself it was because she didn't want to get too close to these people and risk personal feelings affecting her judgement should danger arise, but the truth was, she had never found it easy to let people get close to her and when her mother had died, it had become even harder. Her mother hadn't been just her mum, she had been her best friend and she couldn't bear the thought of going through the pain of such loss again and she had now become so used to keeping herself cut off from others, even if she was in the same room as them, that she didn't really know how to let the barriers around her down. The sound of more laughter next door sends a pang of loneliness through her, which she tries to brush aside.

* * *

><p>Unable to sleep, Joey had gotten up and perched herself at the back window, just staring out at the night sky. She sighs. While her daughter had thrived in the past month, Joey still felt like a caged animal. She couldn't even go next door without taking Nick with her. Thinking of next door, Joey runs her fingertips over her lips, still imagining the gentle press of Shannon's lips there. They'd found themselves alone in the kitchen and Shannon had seized the opportunity, backing her up against the table and kissing her. It had felt nice but she'd avoided dating because the thought of being so close and intimate with someone scared her and as nice as the kiss was, her usual defences had kicked in and she'd gently pushed Shannon away, telling her she wasn't interested in women. She got the feeling Shannon hadn't believed her, but she had backed away and told Joey it was fine, she understood. She ran her fingers over her lips again. It wasn't the first kiss Joey had ever had, but in the few times a woman had managed to plant a kiss on her, she had run from them and then kept her distance, yet the more she replayed the kiss with Shannon over in her head, the more she realised that with Shannon, it felt different and the idea of getting intimate with a woman didn't seem so scary.<p>

She smiles a little cheekily. Charlie would be furious if something happened between her and Shannon, not that she intended to let anything happen. With her life the way it was, she didn't feel it was fair to be with anyone, let alone someone she was forced to lie to. Charlie's reaction would be good though, she chuckles to herself, before growing serious. Despite their close confines, somehow, Charlie always seemed so far away from them and she had sensed a loneliness in the police officer and she suspected her daughter sensed the same. Ruby had taken a shine to Charlie and her mission to get her to join in more had become a game to Ruby and the more Charlie resisted, the more Ruby tried. She chuckles as she recalls how after tea earlier, Ruby had prevented Charlie's usual attempts to avoid spending time with her by sitting on her lap and then asking her to read to her. The poor woman had obviously had no idea how to get away without physically moving the girl, which she seemed too scared to do, so she'd taken the book and started reading. For the first time, with Ruby curled up on her lap, Joey had seen the woman beneath the uniform, one who probably didn't realise she had started to smile while she read the silly little tale of a cat's adventures.

* * *

><p>Charlie wondered what Joey was thinking while she stared out the window. She'd been watching her for the past few minutes, smiling at one thing or another. Probably thinking of her daughter, she decided. Ruby always brought a smile to her mother's face and on more than the odd occasion, Charlie's breath had caught at how beautiful that smile was and she had to admit, it matched Joey's personality. Despite the friction between them, whenever Charlie saw Joey with others, especially her daughter, she could see that Joey was as beautiful inside as she was outside. She shook herself; she was here to protect Joey, not ogle her.<p>

* * *

><p>Joey sighs heavily, resting her forehead against the window. She wished she had her daughter's ability to go with the flow and just accept things but she couldn't. She just wanted it over so she could get on with her normal life.<p>

* * *

><p>Drawn by Joey's sad sigh, Charlie moves over to her. She was just about to speak as she rested her hand on Joey's shoulder when she found herself doubled over in pain, Joey's elbow having connected solidly with her solar plexus.<p>

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry," Joey says, her hand over her mouth in shock.

"My fault," Charlie gasps out. "I should have made my presence known before touching you."

"I probably still wouldn't have noticed," Joey says, furious with herself for not being aware of her surroundings. "Are you ok?"

Charlie nods, rubbing her midsection as she straightens up.

"I really am sorry Charlie."

"It's ok Joey, it's not like you did it intentionally."

"I bet a month ago you wouldn't have said that."

"A month ago I would have just walked straight past you, instead of asking if you were ok."

"I couldn't sleep." Joey looks out the window again. "It's like the walls are closing in on me and I'm suffocating."

For the first time in awhile, Charlie felt sorry for the situation Joey found herself in. She was a young mother with a life, family and friends, now she was a virtual prisoner and she'd done nothing wrong to deserve it. "I'll speak to Nick tomorrow, see if we can work something out so you can get out more and I don't mean just going next door."

Joey smiles appreciatively. "Thank you." She grins suddenly. "Never thought I'd ever say that to you and actually mean it."

Charlie grins back at her. "I think we've both made things harder than they needed to be for each other."

"Yeah I know, so why don't we just wipe the slate clean and act like two grown women around each other from now on."

Charlie barely hesitates before she takes the proffered hand. "Deal." When Joey smiles, her first genuine smile just for her, Charlie feels some of her loneliness lifting and without her realising, something was beginning to chip away at her barriers.


	9. Chapter 9

**…2012**

Sitting on the floor between Joey's legs, Charlie felt totally relaxed as Joey's hands worked their magic. "Oh, that is nice," Charlie moans in pleasure.

"If our daughter wasn't here, I could make it even nicer," Joey purrs in her ear.

"I should arrest you for being such a tease."

"That would be a good look." She leans in close. "Your wife in handcuffs and you explaining what the charges are."

"It might be worth it just to get you into handcuffs."

"You're the one who likes being in the cuffs baby." She chuckles as her wife's skin goes an interesting shade of red as she recalls the one time cuffs had come into play in the bedroom. "How was the rest of your first day?" she asks, sparing her wife from further embarrassment; for some reason, Charlie was embarrassed by how much she'd enjoyed being at her mercy.

"The work was great, the company not so great."

"I thought Georgie had relaxed."

"Around you, she relaxed, but the woman who smiled and even spoke during lunch disappeared the moment we were back in the squad car. I know I'm not the best at small talk, but no matter how I tried to engage Georgie, it was like pulling teeth to get her to talk."

"Well, I did warn you it might take more than lunch."

"At this stage, I'm not sure what it's going to take."

"It's only early days and some people just take longer to warm up to a certain type of person than they do others."

Charlie leans back, peering up at her. "Like us?"

"Exactly, though I think Georgie would draw the line at slapping you."

"Don't get me wrong, I actually like Georgie and from what I've seen, she's a competent officer, I just need to be able to trust her and it's hard to trust someone who does her best to avoid even talking to you."

"Maybe I can work on her some more tomorrow and I'll even put in a good word with the boss' wife for you," she adds cheekily.

"Brat."

"You love it when I smooze with the wives and husbands of the people you work with."

"I have to admit, I love hearing compliments on how lucky I am to have such a dutiful wife."

"Dutiful?"

"Obedient," Charlie adds.

"Ok, this dutiful, obedient wife is now on strike."

Charlie turns and gets to her knees, her hands either side of Joey's legs on the couch. "Did I forget to mention, beautiful, caring and the most incredible wife ever?"

"Keep going."

Charlie starts to move upward, "Sexy, intelligent," Charlie continues on, her face now only inches from Joey's. She presses her lips to Joey's. "Tasty too."

Chuckling, Joey leans back, dragging Charlie with her, their lips barely apart.

Their kiss intensifies as they lose themselves in the moment, Charlie's hand finding its way under Joey's top.

Joey gasps when Charlie gently squeezes her breast. "We shouldn't have started this," she murmurs against Charlie's lips.

"Why not?"

"Mum!" Ruby bellows from the next room.

"That would be why."

"I love that kid but she can be hell on our love life," complains Charlie, reluctantly moving away from her wife moments before Ruby came bounding into the room.

* * *

><p>"Oh fuck," Charlie moans, her hands gripping the sheets as her hips thrust against Joey, whose tongue and fingers were quickly working Charlie to her second orgasm of the morning.<p>

Sensing Charlie was close, Joey increased the thrust of her fingers, her lips gently circling Charlie's clit, sucking it into her mouth.

Putting the pillow over her face, Charlie screams out her climax, her body bucking wildly against Joey. Collapsing back on the bed, breathing heavily, Charlie glares at her wife who was looking both pleased and innocent.

"Didn't you enjoy the new alarm clock?" Joey says cheekily, having started in on Charlie just as she was waking.

"I loved it," she said truthfully. "But you just wrecked me for the rest of the day."

"And that's a bad thing?"

"Only if someone asks me why I fell asleep at my desk."

"Tell them the truth."

"Oh right, well, you see, my amorous wife decided to devour me for breakfast."

"And it was a very nice breakfast," kissing Charlie deeply.

Flipping Joey onto her back without breaking their kiss, Charlie moves her knee between Joey's legs, groaning at the heated wetness there. "I love how wet you are for me," she says, rocking her knee gently against the wetness.

"You always do this to me baby," Joey pants as she thrust herself hard against Charlie. "We don't have much time," Joey warns her.

"I know," Charlie says, thrusting one finger, then a second and third into Joey, her thumb pressing against her clit, intent on bringing Joey as quickly as possible. She watched Joey as she thrust inside her, loving the way Joey's body always responded to her, the way her breathing quickened and she quivered against her fingers when she was about to climax. Capturing Joey's lips, she thrust hard and fast, swallowing Joey's scream of pleasure. Easing her thrusts, she gently brought Joey to another climax, all the time keeping her lips on hers.

Finally removing her fingers, she makes a show of slowly licking them clean.

"Keep doing that and you'll never get to work," warns Joey.

Grinning, Charlie moves in for another kiss, instead, gently brushing her lips over Joey's before moving off the bed. "I think I'd best have a cold shower."

"Need help on those hard to reach places?"

"Joey, if I said yes, the morning will be gone before we ever got out of the shower."

Chuckling, Joey lies back on the bed. It didn't matter how often they made love, she just couldn't get enough of her wife.

* * *

><p>With one last check in the window to make sure she didn't have that 'I spent the morning having sex' look Joey always joked she had, Charlie walked into the station.<p>

"Morning Senior," Jack greets her enthusiastically. "Looks like we're on together today."

After spending a day trying to get a word out of his wife, Charlie had a feeling she wouldn't have the same problem with Jack, who she'd found to be friendly and only too willing to share his views in the short time she'd been here. She wondered briefly if that might be why Georgie didn't say much, her husband never let her get a word in. He did seem like a nice guy though. "I'm looking forward to getting back out there today and I think I might prefer to tackle the bad guys than be around three rowdy kids like the wives will be," she jokes.

Jack nods in agreement. "Georgie though, she was really looking forward to getting out with the girls and the kids."

"So was Joey."

"I was just going to grab a coffee before we went out on patrol, can I get you one?"

"Thanks Jack, that'd be great."

"Charlie, can I have a word," Peter requests on his way past her.

"Sure."

"How are you settling in?" he asks as soon as they were seated.

"The house is a bit of a disaster zone with the boxes, but other than that, we're all settling in quite well."

"Then no regrets about coming to a small station?"

"Far from it. I think getting away from the city is the best thing for my family."

"I have to say, I'm still trying to work out if you're Charlie or some imposter."

Rather than be offended, Charlie considers it a compliment. Before she'd met Joey, she thought she'd been happy with the direction her life was going, that sacrificing romance and even friendships was the way to go to achieve success, but Joey and Ruby had shown her how wrong that was, how unhappy she had been behind the façade. "If I had stayed that probie you knew back then, I'd be a Sergeant by now, but I'd also be incredibly lonely and only half the person I am now."

"I'm glad you found the balance you were missing Charlie and from what I've read in your personnel file, it's made you a better police officer."

"Being a wife and mother has made me a better person which has helped me to become a better officer." Charlie's lips twitch slightly. "After my so called lapse in judgement, that is."

"Do you consider it a lapse in judgement?"

"My superiors did, but I can never see falling in love with Joey as a lapse in judgement and if I were to go back and do this again, then reprimand or not, I'd make the same decision."

Peter grins. "Then it was a good decision, because I couldn't see the Charlie you once were ever fitting in here."

"That Charlie would never transfer to a small station in the first place," Charlie says, smiling back at him.

Peter sits back in his chair, pleased by her answers. "While I always expect my officers to maintain a healthy and respectful working environment, being a small station means we're a little less formal toward each other and most of us socialise outside of work, regardless of rank. Now, I know you were happy to attend the meet and greet the other night and while it's not expected that everybody turns up to every social event, it is appreciated if some effort is made to attend occasionally."

"I understand. Joey's always telling me things are different in a small town and you can't really avoid each other, so I'm more than happy to make an effort, especially if it helps develop a better working relationship." She smiles wryly. "Our wives are already friends and I think Joey intends to drag Georgie along for the ride, so I'm already seeing more of these gatherings in our future anyway."

"Leah just loves any excuse to throw a dinner party and Georgie, I'd actually like to talk to you about her. She's a lovely woman and a fine officer, one of my best, but she hasn't reached her potential yet and I'm hoping you can be the one to help her get past that bit of self-doubt that is holding her back."

"I'll certainly encourage her in any way I can, but I think Joey may have more luck with her than I will, I could barely even get her to talk to me."

"That's not all that unusual for Georgie but it is nice to see some things haven't changed, you're still scaring those you work with."

"Was I really that bad?"

"You were one of the most impressive young officers I'd ever worked with, but if I'm to be honest, with your lack of emotion and compassion, it was like working with a robot at times"

To Peter's surprise, Charlie laughs. "Joey said much the same thing, even told Ruby that robots don't play with dolls when Ruby offered me hers."

"You and a doll is not something I'd ever imagine seeing."

"Neither did I but Ruby is so much like her mum and she was determined to humanise me by trying to include me in the things she did and once I gave in, I came to look forward to our nightly ritual of her sitting on my lap while I read to her."

"Family life really has done wonders for you."

"I used to always scoff at those who said all you need is the love of a good woman to be complete but they were right. With Joey, I finally feel complete."

"That's pretty much how I feel about Leah. It really is good to have you here Charlie and I hope you can have a good influence on the officers here."

"I'll do my best Sarge."

"I have no doubt of that. It looks like Jack is getting impatient to get out on patrol, so I'll let you go."


	10. Chapter 10

**…2007**

When Charlie had offered to speak to Nick about working things so Joey could get out more, sitting in the passenger seat, her eyes squeezed shut as Joey narrowly avoids the fence and then the mail box, wasn't on top of her list, yet here she was. No wonder Nick had opted out of teaching Joey, he was obviously a lot smarter than Charlie who had never been asked to teach someone to drive and so had been completely unprepared for the fear she'd experienced so far. Fear may be too strong a word, Charlie thought, opening her eyes only to see the garage door getting closer a lot quicker than she'd like. She closes her eyes again, praying Joey was as heavy on the brake pedal as she appeared to be on the accelerator.

Joey brings the car to a stop with an inch of space between the car and garage. She turns to Charlie, smiling proudly. "You can open your eyes now."

Breathing a sigh of relief, Charlie opens her eyes. "Why did it have to be driving lessons you wanted?"

"I'm a single mum and Ruby will be going to school soon, so getting my driver's licence will make it easier to get around when I'm eventually back in the real world."

Charlie smiles at the term. In the past two weeks since they'd had their talk, things had become much more relaxed and friendly in the house, yet for Joey, it was still a prison and they were all playing a role, so she had started to refer to her life after all this was over as the real world.

"And it is only my second lesson Charlie, so I think I'm doing ok."

"You are," Charlie admits. "I'm impressed that you're up with all the road rules, I just wish your foot was a little lighter on the pedal."

"Yeah, sorry about that," Joey says with a wry grin. "I think it's partly nerves about being behind the wheel and it makes you nervous which makes me even more nervous which makes me."

"I get the point Joey."

"Shannon offered to give me lessons, maybe I should take her up on them, that way you'd have more time to recover between lessons."

"No I'll do it," Charlie says. Joey had been spending too much time with Shannon for her liking and while she didn't think anything was going on between them, Charlie stops her train of thought. She really didn't know why she had such a problem with Shannon, she seemed like a nice woman and she had become a good friend to Joey, which Charlie knew she needed, yet she hated how much time Joey spent with her. She guessed that was part of the problem, because since she'd let both Joey and Ruby pull her into their lives even just a little, she had come to realise just how much she had missed the company of others and had come to look forward to spending time with them and in a way, she resented Shannon for taking some of that time away from her. It was irrational to resent her though and she could easily go with Joey to Shannon's like Nick did, yet she couldn't bring herself to and now that Nick had decided that Joey was safe enough alone next door while he kept an eye from their house, Charlie just felt like she would be spying on them if she went and it didn't feel right, so she stayed away. It amazed her how her life was changing around her and there were times when she hardly recognised herself, yet strangely enough, she was content. She was still largely clueless as to how to relate to Ruby but the little girl seemed happy for her just to be around and to read to her each night, a ritual she'd come to enjoy, not that she admitted it to anyone. And Joey, the more time she spent with her, the more she came to appreciate the woman. She was a great mum, she was funny, smart and kind and most of all, she had made Charlie feel like she was part of something. In a strange way, their circumstances had made them all into a family of sorts with Nick as the big brother. She doubted it was just that one night when they'd spoken and seemed to come to an understanding that led to the change, but it had been the catalyst and now that she felt a part of something, she didn't want to lose it. It probably wasn't the right attitude to have, she was here as their protector and once this was all over, she was unlikely to see Joey and Ruby again but for the moment, she would take what she could.

"Earth to Charlie."

"Huh?" Charlie snaps out of her musings to find Joey grinning at her.

"Is my driving that bad your mind has to leave your body?"

Chuckling, Charlie nods.

"You'd best hope my driving improves then and that Ruby isn't with us or you'd be out an absolute fortune if today was anything to go by."

When Ruby had repeated something a child shouldn't be saying, a new rule was installed that had them paying a fine if they swore in front of her and it had certainly improved their vocabulary but it had also hit their purses quite hard, especially in the first few days.

"I wasn't that bad."

"Well, it might have been worse if you'd kept your eyes open," Joey teases.

This really was a new experience for Charlie, being comfortable enough to joke around with someone. "If I kept my eyes open, I'd die of fright."

"Look at it this way Charlie. Teaching me to drive gets me out of the house which makes me happier."

"Which makes all our lives much more pleasant," finishes Charlie. "And it is only an hour I suppose, which gives me plenty of time to recover my senses."

"There see, there's a positive in everything. Come on, I'll make you a cuppa to help calm the nerves and if you're good, I'll even give you a massage."

Charlie jumps out of the car after her, oddly excited at the prospect of a massage.

* * *

><p>Charlie tried not to groan in pleasure at the feeling of Joey's hands on her bare flesh. After their first meeting, she never expected to find herself lying face down and half-naked on her bed or for those hands which had slapped her to be giving her such an amazing experience now. "Oh god that is so nice," she's unable to stop the words.<p>

"Geez Charlie, you're wound so tight even your kinks have kinks."

"I've never been one for relaxing much." Until now she thought as Joey's hands continued to work their magic over her.

"You need to take time out like Nick does, go out more, go on a date or something, there's really no need for you to be here 24/7 as long as Nick is around when you're not."

"I know I have more freedom than you Joey, but I don't see the point in dating when I can't even be honest to a woman as long as I'm posing as Nick's wife and right now, protecting you is my priority."

Joey's hands still on her back, before her lips are pressed softly to her cheek. "Thank you Charlie." She returns to the massage, unaware that innocent kiss had set Charlie's heart racing.

* * *

><p>Joey smiles as she watches Charlie read to her daughter, who like every other night, was perched on her lap. The police officer had changed so much in the past weeks and she had her daughter's persistence to partly thank for that. At times, Charlie could still be as stubborn and unbending with the rules as ever before, but there was a warmth in her eyes now so that when she said no, Joey didn't immediately jump down her throat and start an argument because she now understood when Charlie said no, it wasn't out of spite, it was because she was looking out for them and if she said no to an invitation from Ruby, it was done with a smile to lessen Ruby's disappointment. She wanders over to the couch, squatting in front of them. "Time for bed Rubz."<p>

"I'm not tired."

"They why do your eyes keep closing?"

"I'm just resting them."

Charlie chuckles at Ruby's habit of picking up things from them, this time one of Nick's favourite lines. "Your mum is right Ruby, it's time for bed."

Sighing exaggeratingly, Ruby kisses Charlie's cheek and hugs her, murmuring good night before holding her arms out to her mother, who picks her up from Charlie's lap. She was asleep before her mother had even pulled the covers over her and kissed her forehead. "Goodnight my little angel," Joey says before returning to the lounge.

"She was out like a light," she says when she flops onto the couch next to Charlie.

"With the way she runs around all day, I'm surprised she even makes it past tea."

"Yeah, kids always seem to have so much energy, I'm almost envious at times, then I remember all the restrictions being that age had and I'm glad I'm my age."

"And you don't have restrictions on you now?" Charlie asks in amusement.

"Gee, thanks for the reminder of my prison," she says with a wry smile.

"Sorry."

Joey glances over at the clock. "Nick's date must be going well."

"He seems really keen on Lucinda."

"Not quite sure why, I found her to be rather like a cold fish when we ran into them at the supermarket." She grins cheekily at Charlie and adds. "Actually, she reminds me of you."

"Cold fish!" Charlie narrows her eyes before pouncing, subjecting Joey to a tickle torture that had her howling with laughter. Lying over Joey, Charlie stares down at her, both of them breathing heavily.

"That sounds like Nick's car," Joey says, trying to ignore Charlie's knee which in their playful struggles, was now lodge firmly between her legs.

"It does," Charlie murmurs. Realising how it could look to Nick if he saw them like this, she rolls off Joey and gets to her feet.

There had been nothing sexual in their play but nonetheless, Joey breathed a sigh of relief at no longer having Charlie's knee where it had been.

"Hey girls," Nick says cheerfully.

"Somebody's date went well," Joey teases.

"You could say that."

"You know you could stay over at her place or bring her around here, instead of ending your dates so early," Joey says.

"Just because she's a cop and knows about the situation with us, I'd still like to limit the number of people who know where we are living, just to be on the safe side and I'd rather not stay out over night."

Joey nods, not surprised by his answer. "How do you do this job for so long Nick, I don't mean just being a cop, but babysitting people like me?"

"Someone has to do it and I find it rewarding. I'm going to have an early night, so goodnight ladies."

"Lucinda is a lucky woman," Joey muses after he'd left.

"Yeah, Nick is a great guy."

"Thinking of turning straight?"

"Hardly," she answers with a snort. "How about a hot chocolate and dvd?" suggests Charlie.

"That sounds good." Joey watches Charlie walk to the kitchen, again amazed at the change in her. It didn't seem so long ago that she was locking herself away in her room studying, yet lately, Charlie was staying up late with her watching a movie or just talking. Joey still missed the life she once had but this new life had become much more bearable and that was in part due to Charlie.


	11. Chapter 11

**…2012**

"I love you too," Joey says, flipping her phone shut. She looks up to find Leah and Georgie smirking at her. "What?"

"Oh nothing, just that it's only been a little over an hour since you saw Charlie and she's already calling you," Leah says.

Joey blushes a little. "She misses me."

"I think it's kind of cute," Georgie says.

Georgie had surprised Joey today. In the short time the three of them had been together with the kids, Joey had noticed that Georgie seemed much more relaxed with them than she had when Charlie was around. Maybe it was the presence of the kids that also helped but she seemed a different woman to the one Charlie described; she smiled a lot, was talkative and when she wanted to be, was quite funny. She just wished she could bottle whatever it was and give it to Charlie.

"Oh, I happen to think Charlie's very cute," Joey replies enthusiastically.

Leah and Georgie look at each other. "She's got it bad," Leah says in a mournful tone.

"Yeah and I don't think there's a cure for it either," adds Georgie in an equally mournful tone.

"Tease all you like but I'm happy to be a love struck sap."

"Well my happy little sap," Leah says, her arm around Joey's shoulders. "It's your turn to round up the kiddies."

Joey looks over at the trio who were making enough noise to wake the dead as they ran around. "How much longer until the school holidays are over?" she asks when there's a particularly loud shriek from their direction.

"Thirty days," a voice behind them says. They turn to find an attractive blonde with a girl around Ruby's age standing there.

"Miss Scott, I wasn't aware you'd come back," Leah says.

"Please, call me Bianca and I just got back yesterday."

"Miss, sorry, Bianca is a teacher at the primary school," Leah informs Joey. "Bianca, this is Joey Buckton, her wife is the new Snr Constable and their daughter Ruby will be starting school and I'm not sure if you've had a chance to meet Georgie."

"Romeo's mother, right?"

"That's right," Georgie stammers out a greeting. She knew Bianca had only started at the school at the end of last year, but Romeo had been talking about her nonstop.

Joey hid a smile. Her gaydar was often wonky, yet with Bianca, it had screamed out and with the way her hand had held onto Georgie's a little longer than necessary, she was pretty sure Bianca was gay. It was also quite amusing to see the return of Georgie's shyness and at least she could tell her wife that she wasn't the only one who had this affect on Georgie. Joey had a sudden image of Georgie trying to arrest someone like Charlie or Bianca and stuttering their rights out while she fumbled with the cuffs. As amusing as the image was, she was grateful that Charlie had assured her that when it came to her job, Georgie was one of the better officers there or she'd be worried Georgie wouldn't have her wife's back. She probably went into cop mode like she'd seen Charlie and other cops do. Realising she was probably standing there with what was no doubt a silly look on her face, she put aside her musings and concentrated on what was being said.

"This is my sister April, she'll be staying with me while our mother is overseas."

"It's nice to meet you April," Joey says warmly. "We were just about to take the kids to the cinema, why don't you join us?"

Bianca looks down at April who nods.

* * *

><p>After a day in which she could barely get a word out of Georgie, Charlie was finding the opposite with her husband. Jack had barely shut up since they had started out on their patrol and while she found his friendly confidence refreshing, it was now starting to verge on egotistical. He clearly had a high opinion of himself and if she had ever had an interest in guys, he'd have been low on the list of her type; she had half expected him to take off his shirt and beat his chest when it came to arresting that drunken fool who had tried to resist arrest earlier.<p>

She glanced down at her watch. Joey would be sitting in the cinema right now and she wished she could be there with her. It constantly amazed her how deeply she felt for her wife and how a simple smile from her brightened her day.

Jack looked over at his colleague. He may have only known Charlie a couple of days but he had a fair idea from the smile on her face that she was thinking of her wife. It made him a little envious. He did love his wife in his own way, but she'd never made him feel the way Charlie obviously felt about her wife, not that he had ever expected to feel like that when he knew that deep down, he'd only married Georgie because she was pregnant. It made him resent her at times, even though he knew he was equally responsible and loved his son, yet it often had him wondering how different his life would have been if she hadn't gotten pregnant.

Whatever was now occupying Jack's thoughts, Charlie was just grateful for the silence. There were always adjustments to be made when starting at a new station and learning and dealing with the quirks of her new colleagues and in an odd way, Charlie enjoyed these times, but she still appreciated time to think when she was partnered with talkative officers like Jack.

* * *

><p>"How were things at work today?"<p>

"Put it this way, if Georgie talked half as much as Jack did and Jack talked half as less as Georgie did, I'd be happy."

Chuckling, Joey wraps her arms around Charlie's waist and rests her chin on her shoulder. "You can't win them all."

Charlie leans back, relaxing against her. "I think it's just going to take some time to get used to each officer at the station and the way they work. How was your day out?"

"It was great, they're all lovely women and I even met one of Ruby's teachers. She has a sister Ruby's age and they seemed to hit it off."

Charlie turns in Joey's arms, brushing her lips over hers. "I'm so happy you and Ruby have made friends."

"It certainly makes settling in so much easier."

"And Georgie?" she asks, hoping for some good news.

"Talkative." Her lips twitch at her wife's look of surprise. "Until Bianca Scott turned up and then she was pretty much as you described her, at least when Bianca spoke directly to her, otherwise she was fine with Leah and I."

"Is Bianca anything like me then?"

"In some ways. She's beautiful and confident and extremely comfortable with who she is." She smirks at Charlie, "But she is nowhere near as gorgeous as you, baby." She presses her lips to hers. "You're one of a kind," she murmurs. "And you're all mine."

"And I always will be," Charlie rests her forehead against Joey's. "Peter mentioned Georgie had some self-doubt that was keeping her from reaching her full potential, so I wonder if it has something to do with how she sees herself that's keeping her back."

"I suppose it's possible. She does seem to lack some confidence when she's around women like you and even though she's gorgeous herself, if she has doubts about that, then it could explain why she's intimidated by women like you and Bianca and those doubts can start to affect other areas of her life."

"Like holding her back at work."

"Look, I'd just give her time to get used to you and if you encourage her the way you encourage other officers, hopefully that will help to dispel whatever self doubt she might have." Another thought popped into Joey's mind. She hadn't been absolutely certain it was Jack because she only saw his back, but what if that guy the other night had been him and Georgie knew he was seeing someone else and that was why she wasn't always talkative, she had other things on her mind? Then again, if she knew, why would she stay with him, Joey thought and Georgie seemed fine today, except around Bianca. She dismissed the thoughts from her mind; she didn't want to be responsible for spreading unfounded rumours that could hurt all involved or create problems for Charlie by having her caught in the middle at work. It really wasn't any of her business anyway, except she hated the thought that her friend might be being cheated on, not to mention she really did hate it when she saw things she wished she hadn't seen.

Charlie cups Joey's chin, lifting it up so their eyes met. "What are you thinking?"

"That I'm over thinking things and letting my imagination run wild."

"I kind of like it when your imagination runs wild," she leans in and whispers in her ear. "Especially in the bedroom."

"It's too bad really," she whispers back.

"What is?"

"That it's tea time because I'd rather take you upstairs and show you just how wild my imagination can be."

"We could put tea on hold."

"Will you be the one to explain to Ruby why we're eating later?" Joey asks with a smirk.

"On second thoughts, tea sounds good right about now."

"Oh I love you Charlie Buckton."

"And I love you."


	12. Chapter 12

**…2007**

In the past week, Joey's driving had improved greatly, much to Charlie's relief, though she had still held her breath briefly when they'd passed that cop car earlier. Nick had arranged her Learner's Permit under a fake name for Joey but still, Charlie hoped they'd never have to test it out by being pulled over for a simple traffic offence.

"Ok, I think that is enough for today, we might as well head back home."

"Can't we go for a bit longer?"

Charlie smiles at her enthusiasm. "Joey, we've been driving around in circles for the past two hours, I'm getting dizzy."

"I just want to get as many hours under my belt so that when I'm back in the real world, I can go for my P's."

"You'll have plenty of time for that Joey," Charlie says, hearing Joey muttering about when will it ever be over. "Joey, I wish I could tell you that Pirovic's arrest was imminent and the trial was just around the corner, but I can't."

Joey sighs. As much as she enjoyed spending time with Charlie and life had become so much more pleasant, she still wanted to go back to her old life.

"We will get him," Charlie assures her, "Believe me, no cop is going to rest until we do."

"Yeah, I suppose."

"Hey, why don't we stop off at the café on the way home, I'll shout you one of those cream things you love."

"Bribery will only get you so far."

"And an ice coffee with extra whipped cream." She grimaces slightly at Joey's sweet tooth.

"Done but don't tell Ruby."

Charlie chuckles. "We could get one for her."

"Charlie, there is no way it'd survive the trip home."

* * *

><p>Watching Joey lick the last of the cream off her fingers, Charlie had an irrational wish that she was the one licking those fingers. She pushed the thought aside, concentrating on her own low-carb slice, a rather unappetising slice, she decided.<p>

"Sure you don't want to go halves in another cream bun?" offers Joey.

Charlie looks at her, aghast. "How could you possibly eat even one more bite?"

"Try it and you'll know why," Joey dares.

"Ok, load me up."

* * *

><p>Charlie examines the offending bun in front of her; it was monstrous and she only had half of it. It wasn't even filled with real cream, just a mass of that mock stuff with a big blob of raspberry jam in the centre. Hoping she wasn't going to regret this, she bit into it. It was quite possibly one of the most disgustingly, sickening things she'd ever eaten, but she loved it.<p>

"Told you," Joey says with a knowing smirk as Charlie hurriedly finishes off her portion.

"Ok, you converted me," she concedes. Her breath catches when Joey reaches over and gently wipes her chin.

"You have a bit of jam there."

"Oh, right." More and more, just the simplest of touches from Joey sent a tingle of pleasure through her. It wasn't something she was used to and she wasn't sure what to do about it, especially when it was happening with such frequency; just a little pat on her arm here or they'd brush up against each other when reaching for the same thing. There was nothing to it, Joey was just being friendly, yet, she stopped herself, unwilling to go there. Maybe Joey was right, she did need to take time out, go on a date or something, anything to stop these unwelcoming thoughts intruding.

"I suppose we should be heading back," Joey says, breaking through Charlie's musings. She pats Charlie on the arm, "Thanks for the lesson and the food, I really appreciate it and the way you've made this situation more bearable."

"Hey, it was for my own sanity as well that we get along." God she has a gorgeous smile, she thought, before quickly banishing it. She definitely needed to get out on her own for a while, she reminded herself.

* * *

><p>Joey pulls up in the driveway. "I really like this car," she says, running her hand over the dashboard. "I should get one like it when this is all over."<p>

"I guess with the reward money, you'll be able to afford a car now," Charlie says without a hint of censure in her voice. "I'm sorry for giving you a hard time about the reward money."

"I can see why you thought the worst of me. A cop had died and I'd stayed silent until a reward had been offered." Joey glances at Charlie. "Even if there had been no reward, I would have eventually come forward but I'm not going to turn down the money. It's going to help me to provide for my daughter for a long time and that's all I've ever wanted."

"I know you have and if I was in the same situation, I wouldn't turn it down either."

They were suddenly distracted by a rather loud screech as Ruby comes charging from next door, with Lachie, Shannon's eldest, in hot pursuit with a high-powered water pistol. Judging by his rather damp appearance, Ruby had gotten to him first.

"Let me handle this," Charlie says, slipping into cop mode as she jumps out of the car and strides toward the children.

Joey chuckles at the sight of Charlie standing there with her hands on her hips demanding to know what was going on. It was all in fun though, Charlie playing her role as the outrage adult to a tea. "Well," Charlie demands again, trying to keep a straight face.

Hiding behind Charlie, Ruby pokes her head around her waist. "He's trying to shoot me Charlie."

"Is that right." She raises a brow at Lachie who was looking indignant at Ruby's accusation.

"She started it," he finally answers. "She pelted me with a water balloon."

"Oh well, in that case," she steps aside, exposing Ruby to his revenge.

"Charlie!" Ruby cries out moments before the drenching starts.

"Actions have consequences Ruby," Charlie points out.

"You just didn't want to get wet," Joey whispers in her ear from behind her.

She'd heard Joey's approach, still, having her whispering in her ear like that nearly made her jump away. "I have a reputation to maintain."

"Only Ruby knows you're a cop Charlie so you won't be damaging that." Charlie shrugs. "You know, whenever you let yourself join in, you're really great with the kids."

"You think?"

"Yeah I do. And despite you telling me that joke going around about you being more terrified of kids than criminals, I think you're a natural, especially with Ruby, she loves you reading to her."

"Reading is easy, but most of the time, I don't even know what I'm doing."

"Neither do I. Just because I'm a mum doesn't mean I know everything there is to know about kids and I make mistakes along the way and I expect I'll make more in the future, it's part of being a parent."

"Kids have never been in my future."

"That's a shame, because I think you'd make a great mum." She leaves Charlie to think it over while she goes to rescue her offspring. "Ok Lachie, I think Ruby's waterlogged enough." She holds her hand out for the water pistol. Sighing, he hands it over. With a sly smile at the kids, she spins and launches an attack on Charlie.

"Joey!" she stares down at her damp shirt when the drenching had stopped.

"It's only water."

"Contributing to the delinquency of minors, are we?" Shannon teases as she and her youngest, Sammy, join them.

Joey grins, aiming the pistol at her.

"Go ahead, just try it."

"Damn," Joey mutters when all that came out was a dribble.

"I waited until I was sure you were empty before I came over."

Standing apart from them, Charlie watches on as Shannon moves as close to Joey's side as she could without touching her.

"I'm taking the kids to that new movie tonight, why don't you and Ruby come along."

"God, I haven't been to the cinema in ages, I think I'd like that."

"What about you Charlie, why don't you join us," suggests Shannon. She'd been expecting Charlie to say no, so she was more than a little surprised when Charlie said she'd love to come.

Joey smiles over at Charlie, pleased she'd accepted and that smile made Charlie happy she had said yes.

* * *

><p>Charlie flops onto her bed, still fully clothed. It had been a pleasant meal, even the movie had been surprisingly enjoyable, yet she still felt miserable and she hated the reason why. All night Shannon had been all over Joey, no, she wasn't being fair to her, Shannon had been attentive to Joey with just the odd touch, it was just this irrational dislike she'd taken to her that coloured her view of the woman. And this dislike was irrational; Shannon had been nothing but friendly toward her and she couldn't blame Shannon for being interested in Joey, who wouldn't be. She closes her eyes. Exactly, who wouldn't be interested in Joey and that was the problem. She'd been denying it for a while now, but after watching Shannon all night with Joey, then seeing them ending their evening with a goodnight kiss, Charlie was finally willing to put a name to it; it was jealousy, pure and simple and she hated it. It was an emotion foreign to her but one she knew could rule her if she let it and that was something she wasn't willing to do. Nothing could happen between her and Joey, she was under her protection, so she'd be risking her career to be involved with her and considering the way they had started out here, the last thing she wanted was to go back there if things went wrong between them. She also didn't want anything distracting her ability to keep Joey safe. Besides, Joey had shown no interest in her and seemed flattered by the attention Shannon was giving her.<p>

She sighs. It was only natural to become attracted to the woman she spent so much time with, especially when she barely saw another woman and Joey was so appealing, she reasoned with herself, resolving to take Joey's advice and take more time out for herself, starting with getting laid. She had never been big on relationships but she'd never had too much trouble pulling the ladies when needed and that's what she needed now. Hopefully after getting laid, then it will be even more clear that this attraction was based on nothing more than being around Joey and no other woman. "God, I hope it's that easy," she murmurs.


	13. Chapter 13

**…2012**

With one week to go before the kids were back at school, the girls had left their kids with their hapless fathers, Aden and Geoff having double duty with both Ruby and April and headed to the city for a night out on the town.

"Are you sure that is our Georgie over there?" Charlie yells above the music in the nightclub. The music was so loud at times, she felt sure she'd be deaf by the time they got back to their hotel room.

Joey looks over at their friend laughing and dancing with Bianca and Leah. "She looks great, doesn't she," Joey grins, feeling pleased with the result she and Leah had achieved when they'd finally talked their friend into letting them give her a makeover. The three of them had become good friends in the past few weeks, spending a lot of their spare time together and slowly, with some gentle prodding by her friends and encouragement at work from Charlie, Georgie had really started to come out of her shell and tonight, the makeover seemed to have freed her up even more.

"She looks gorgeous and going by the number of guys trying to chat her up, they agree."

"They all have good taste in women." And so did Bianca, she thought, the schoolteacher's eyes never far from their friend tonight. Bianca had done her best to hide her interest in their friend, but she wasn't always successful, like tonight. When it came to conversing with Bianca, Georgie was more like her old self, quiet and sometimes tongue tied, which Bianca seemed to find even more endearing, so Joey had nearly laughed out loud when Bianca had been the one left tongue tied and mouth agape when they'd unveiled the new look Georgie.

Joey hadn't been the only one to notice Bianca's behaviour. Charlie leans over to her wife. "I think Bianca is really into Georgie," her observation bringing a wry smile to Joey's face. "You don't think she'll try anything, do you?"

"No," Joey says with a firm shake of her head.

"You seem sure of that."

"That's because I asked her earlier."

Charlie nearly chokes on her wine. "You just came out and asked her?"

"I'm already out baby," she jokes. "And yes, I asked her what her intentions were for Georgie."

"What did she say?"

"That she respects Georgie's marriage and has never made a move on someone already in a relationship and doesn't intend to start now." Joey shrugs, "I believe her."

Charlie nods in agreement. After the initial sizing up of each other when they'd finally met two weeks ago, she and Bianca had hit it off and one thing she'd found out about her was that she was refreshingly honest, if a little too blunt at times. "Maybe we should find someone for her," suggests Charlie. "Bianca's beautiful, she's intelligent, she's fun, I'm sure we can fix her up with someone."

"In Summer Bay? Lesbians aren't exactly growing on trees there." She squeezes her wife's hand. "It's a nice thought, but matchmaking for your friends isn't a good idea."

"Then why do you always try to set up all our single friends," Charlie asks in a teasing voice.

"That's different," she replies cheekily. "Seriously though, Bianca's fairly new to the area and she's still getting to know people, so I think we should just let her find her own way."

Leah drops into the seat opposite them, breathing heavily. "I have no idea how people can do this every week."

Joey chuckles at her, "You're supposed to take a break occasionally, not dance non-stop from the moment we arrived."

"The last time I went dancing, it was at a wedding two years ago, so I'm making the most of it tonight." She glances at her watch, her son would have been in bed for hours by now. "This is the first night I haven't been there to tuck VJ in."

"He'll be fine and so will Ruby," Charlie says with a look to her wife. "The kids were all looking forward to some time with their respective dads."

"Yeah I know, but I'm more worried about Aden and Geoff surviving having two girls in the house," Joey says with a grin. Always at the back of her mind had been her worry about the person Aden chose to settle down with, because that person would also be a part of her daughter's life but she needn't have worried about Geoff. He was a lovely guy and seemed comfortable with who he now was and didn't have a problem with Aden being a father.

"I'm sure the girls will go easy on them," Charlie replies.

* * *

><p>She still wasn't used to the dress, the makeup or the way people had been complimenting her all night, but Georgie had been determined to finally let her hair down, so to speak and she'd been having a wonderful time just relaxing and having fun. That was changing though. She hadn't imagined herself slow dancing with Bianca, yet when the music had changed and Bianca had held her hand out for her, she'd taken it and let Bianca pull her closer. They weren't the only women, or men for that matter, dancing together, so no one was paying too much attention to them, which she was grateful for, because with the way their bodies were gently moving against each other to the music and the way Bianca's arms held her close, she was starting to feel very hot and flushed. When Bianca's hand moved to her hip, it was too much and she backed away from her. "I need another drink, what about you?" she shouts to Bianca over the music.<p>

"Love one, but I think I need to sit down first." She was disappointed Georgie had broken contact but perhaps it had been for the best as she'd come dangerously close to breaking her own rule by making a pass at her and the last thing she wanted to do, was ruin the friendship they'd begun, and possibly damage the friendship she had with Joey and Charlie. While Joey had been understanding about her interest in Georgie, she sensed that understanding wouldn't extend to her making any unwelcome advances on their friend, which meant her feelings would have to stay unrequited.

* * *

><p>Joey leans back against Charlie while they waited for the line to the bar to move forward.<p>

"Hey, watch it," Charlie barks when someone bumped into them.

"Easy Charlie," Joey says with a chuckle. Her wife had already scared off a couple of people who'd had the misfortune to bump into them.

"This place is too crowded," she grumbles.

"One more drink, then we'll go somewhere else," Joey promises.

"Why can't we go back to the hotel?"

"Because this may be the last chance we get to have a night on the town like this for a while so I intend to enjoy it." She turns in Charlie's arms. "But don't worry, I also intend to make this night worth your while."

Charlie pulls her closer, "How exactly?"

"By reminding you of my sweet tooth," she says cryptically.

Before Charlie could question her further, she's jostled from behind. "Would you watch what you're doing," she spins to confront the person, staring in shock when she sees who it is.

"Well, well, look who we have here," the woman says.


	14. Chapter 14

**…2007**

Joey stood at the window like she had for the past three weeks, watching Charlie head off on her latest date. She'd been out two to three times a week, never getting back until around 1am. Joey always knew the exact time she came home because she didn't sleep until she heard her come through the door. Joey may have encouraged Charlie to take time out for herself but she hadn't realised until now how much she'd come to enjoy their quiet nights in just talking or watching a movie and those nights had become a rarity because even when she was home, Charlie found other things to keep her occupied.

"Hey," Shannon says gently from behind her. "Here's your hot chocolate."

"Thanks." Joey takes it, her eyes still on the window.

Things had cooled on the romance front for them and though Shannon had thought she'd finally found someone who could help her move forward since her wife's death, she wasn't too disappointed that things hadn't worked out because in all honesty, she hadn't really felt much of a spark between them. Now, seeing that look of longing on Joey's face again, it was pretty obvious to her where the spark was for Joey and she decided it was time to give her friend a little nudge in that direction.

"Joey, I know who you are, I know you don't have a husband and that Nick and Charlie aren't a married couple," Shannon admits. Seeing the tensing of Joey's shoulders, she rests her hand gently there. "I've known for some time and I probably should have said something sooner, but I just thought you should know now."

Joey sighs and turns to face her. "I suppose it was bound to happen that someone would eventually recognise me."

"That photo in the paper didn't do you justice so you should be ok, I only recognised you because I've been following the case closely and ones like this as research for my new book."

She sighs heavily, "I'm going to have to tell Nick that you know."

"I figured as much. I just want you to know that I haven't talked to anyone about this and I don't intend to, not until this is all over for you."

"If it's ever over."

"It will be Joey, you have to believe that."

"Sometimes I believe that, other times I don't."

"I guess all of this can't be easy for you."

"I've had to leave my life behind and it's been hard pretending to be someone I'm not."

"You want to know something Joey, even if I hadn't recognised you, I never would have bought into this little family thing you have going."

"Why not?"

"My gaydar pinged big time with you and Charlie, despite the both of you supposedly being married to guys and Charlie and Nick remind me more of me and my brother Curtis than a married couple. You probably would have been better off passing you and Charlie off as the married couple and Nick the one staying with you after a bad breakup."

"It wasn't a secret that I'm gay, so giving me a husband was another way of hiding out and Charlie and I wouldn't have worked, because we really didn't get along at first."

"I did sense the frostiness between you when we first met but it's clearly thawed." Joey stares into her mug of hot chocolate. "Are you going to tell Charlie how you feel about her now?"

"I'm not sure how I feel." She shrugs helplessly, "And it's confusing me."

"Love is never easy."

"Love?"

"Maybe love is too strong a word and I wouldn't want to scare you off, but you care for Charlie, in a way more than friendship."

Joey nods. "I've never been in a relationship before, not even with Ruby's father," and that was the only truth she was ever willing to admit to others without going into all the gory details of Ruby's conception. "So I don't have much experience in this and I really have no idea what to do about it."

"Talk to her."

She shakes her head. "What's the point, Charlie's obviously not interested in me in the same way," or she wouldn't be seeking company elsewhere, she added silently.

Shannon rolls her eyes. She suspected they were as blind as the other to their mutual attraction. "You really are a babe in the woods, aren't you," she murmurs. "Just trust your instincts Joey."

"What if they're wrong and I ruin my friendship with Charlie by doing or saying the wrong thing?"

"I think when the time is right, you'll know what to do." Or I hope you do, Shannon thinks, putting a comforting arm around Joey. She had always suspected there was something in Joey's past that held her back, now she was even more sure and that it had something to do with Ruby's father but she didn't say anything. Joey would reveal it when she was ready and she doubted that it would be with her.

* * *

><p>Charlie lets herself into the house after a rather unfulfilling evening. While the woman she had hooked up with had been lovely, she had struggled to maintain her interest throughout the night and she'd ended up knocking back the offer of sex. Her last few sexual encounters just hadn't done anything for her and while she'd tried to engage in some way emotionally during the act, her mind had kept telling her that she was with the wrong woman. Whatever she did to distract herself, it always came back to Joey and she was forced to admit that her attraction to Joey ran deeper than her just being the woman she spent so much time with. Not that admitting to her feelings changed anything, she stops at the doorway to the lounge when she sees Shannon sitting on the couch with her arm around Joey's shoulders, because even if she wanted to risk having a relationship with Joey, she was too late, Shannon had already beaten her to it.<p>

"Hey Charlie." Joey's warm greeting draws Charlie from her thoughts. "You're home early."

"Yeah, I'm not feeling too flash so I'm going to have an early night. Good night."

"I hope she's going to be ok," Joey says with a frown of concern after Charlie rushes off.

Shannon looks at where her arm was and smiles wryly. She had a feeling she knew what made Charlie want to have an early night. Well, there wasn't much she could do about it and she'd given Joey something to think about, it was up to them now. "I think she'll be fine in the morning," Shannon says, when I'm not here, she adds to herself. She glances at her watch. "The kids will be back from their grandparents shortly, so I should be getting home."

"Thanks for the talk Shannon."

"Any time." She rests her hand on Joey's knee. "I mean it Joey, if you ever need to talk, you know where to find me."

Joey nods and walks Shannon to the door. "Thanks again Shannon," she says, giving her a brief hug.

"Good night Joey."

Closing the door behind her, Joey's eyes drift to Charlie's room. She found it both amusing and frightening at how much her feelings had changed toward the police officer since they'd first met and she just hoped she didn't mess things up.


	15. Chapter 15

**…2012**

_Before Charlie could question her further, she's jostled from behind. "Would you watch what you're doing," she spins to confront the person, staring in shock when she sees who it is._

_"Well, well, look who we have here," the woman says._

"Shannon!" Joey squeals in equal shock and joy. "Oh my god, it is so good to see you," she says, hugging her old friend.

"I'd like to breathe Joey," she says, returning the hug as enthusiastically. She steps back, grinning at Charlie. "Bet you thought you'd seen the last of me, hey Chuckles?"

"I had been hoping," Charlie says in a serious tone. "Only because I hate that name," she adds with a warm smile. Once Charlie had realised that Shannon wasn't any competition for Joey's affections, the three of them had settled into an easy friendship. "It's great to see you Shannon but I thought you were in Paris."

"I still am, I'm just over here on a book tour. Jesus!" She winces when someone stands on the back of her heel. "I don't think any drink is worth the bruises I'm getting in this line."

Charlie sends a look of appeal at Joey. "I suppose we can do without another drink, let's go back to the table," suggests Joey.

"I'm glad to see things are good between you two," Shannon yells over the music as they make their way through the crowd.

"Things are great," answers Charlie. "I have to remind myself at times that I can't take things for granted like I did in the past and expect Joey to be there for me if I'm not there for her."  
>"That goes for the both of us Charlie," Joey reminds her.<br>"Well, I would have been very annoyed if you two hadn't worked things out."

"It was a wakeup call, that's for sure and I think moving to Summer Bay has been the best decision. The hours I work are much more regular and all three of us have made friends."

"I may have to visit with the kids next time I'm here."

"We'd love to have you."

"Did the kids come over with you this time?" Joey asks.

"Yeah but they're visiting Mandy's folks in the suburbs while I'm working."

They managed to get back to the table relatively unscathed.

"Did you forget something?" Leah says, indicating to their empty hands.

"They're out of booze," Joey replies straight faced. "Oh, but we did pick up an old friend of ours. Shannon, this is Georgie, Bianca and Leah."

With all the introductions out of the way, they take a seat.

"So Shannon, how long have you known our old married couple for?" asks Bianca.

"About 5 years." Shannon glances at her friends, pleased they had navigated through their problems but if she ever saw Belle again though, she'd be sure to give her a piece of her mind.

"Old married couple?" Charlie says with a raised brow at Bianca.

"Well, to a young, fancy free singleton like me, you're an old married couple."

Shannon frowns. She'd seen the way Bianca and Georgie had been dancing and had assumed they were a couple but looking more closely now, she saw that Georgie had a wedding ring and Bianca didn't. Interesting, she thought. She doubted her friends had picked up anything seeing as how they hadn't noticed their own mutual attraction to each other while living under the same roof but she definitely sensed a lingering energy between Bianca and Georgie. "Sorry?" she asks, having missed Leah's question.

"I asked what you do for a living."

"Oh, um, I write crime novels."

"That's where I know you from," Bianca says with some excitement. "I've read all your books."

"I'm not a fan of crime novels," Georgie says a little more harshly than she intended. "I mean, I just feel the writers take too many liberties and the cops aren't very believable."

"I admit to taking liberties in my stories, but I usually base my books on actual cases and so try to be as respectful as possible," her eyes drifting toward Joey who blushes. Joey had been both terrified and flattered that Shannon had wanted to make her the subject of her latest book. It had been traumatic revealing some of the details to Shannon, but she had spoken so little about what had happened to her over the years and so it had helped to finally talk about it more. Still, only Charlie and those involved in the trial and investigation knew all the details but only Charlie and Aden knew about Ruby.

"Well, I love your books," adds Bianca. "And I can't wait for the new one."

"That's why I'm here actually, for a book signing tour." Shannon hides a small smile at the glowering look Georgie was giving her. "I'll make sure I get you a copy."

"That'd be great."

"Aww, Shannon has a groupie," teases Joey.

"I appreciate all my fans."

"I bet you do."

"If things had turned out differently and you'd chosen the wiser option in me," she flashes a cheeky grin at Charlie. "Then you my dear Joey could have been my biggest groupie."

"I am no one's groupie," she fires back with mock outrage.

"And what can I say," Charlie smirks at Shannon. "This is one battle I'm glad I won."

"Were you and Joey a couple before she got with Charlie?" asks Leah.

"Well, Joey and I never really got going as a couple because Charlie was the one who was always on her mind and seeing how they turned out," her eyes on the now cuddling pair. "I have no regrets in letting Joey go."

"Oh god, here they go again," mutters Bianca, her own eyes drifting toward Georgie who was staring into her empty glass.

"This music is really getting to me, I know a great bar nearby, a lot quieter than here," suggests Shannon.

"Good idea," Charlie agrees.

* * *

><p>"I'm so glad we came to the city," Joey says when she and Charlie finally returned to their hotel room hours later. "It's been wonderful catching up with Shannon and just having fun away from everything."<p>

"I think a couple of us may regret having a little too much fun though," Charlie adds with a bit of levity.

"Yeah, Leah and Georgie were really knocking back the drinks at the bar." They'd had to help both women back to their hotel rooms.

"Well, we're not heading back to Summer Bay till the afternoon so they have plenty of time to sleep it off."

"What are you grinning at all of a sudden?"

"Shannon and Bianca disappeared rather early."

"Just because they left early, doesn't mean anything is happening between them."

"No, but Shannon certainly seemed to catch Bianca's eye and neither of them are seeing any one right now, so there's nothing stopping them from hooking up, at least while Shannon is still in the country. Now, enough about everyone else," Charlie says, her arms circling around Joey's waist. "You said something earlier about making my night worth my while."

"We're short a few ingredients, so why don't you go get ready for bed and I'll order room service."

"Room service?" Charlie frowns, thinking she'd misunderstood what Joey had intended to do.

"Trust me Charlie, now, go and get naked."

* * *

><p>Propped against the pillows and naked on the bed, Charlie waits in anticipation as Joey sets the tray on the bedside table. "Chocolate strawberries, whipped cream and champers," Joey informs her.<p>

"The strawberries and champers sounds wonderful, but I'm not sure I'm up for the cream."

"The cream isn't to go with the strawberries, it's to go with the cream buns."

"I don't see any buns."

"You're the buns, my dear," Joey says with a cheerful leer. "Now lie back or this could get messy."

"You can't be serious."

"Oh, I'm very serious, now onto your back."

Unable to resist Joey's order, Charlie scoots down the bed and lies back, her heart racing in growing anticipation. "Shit," she flinches slightly against the cold of the whipped cream as Joey applies it to her nipples and breasts.

When she'd applied enough cream, Joey picks up a choc coated strawberry and slides it through the cream, before popping it into her mouth. "Lovely." She repeats the action, only this time, she leaves half the strawberry out of her mouth and leans over Charlie's lips. Charlie opens her mouth, accepting the offering. Chewing and swallowing the strawberry, she groans when Joey moves back, her mouth over her nipples. Charlie swallows hard at the look of lust Joey was giving her.

"You know how I love my things sweet," Joey says, licking some of the cream off Charlie's breasts. When she reaches the nipple through the cream, she sucks it into her mouth.

"Oh god," Charlie moans in pleasure, thrusting her chest hard against Joey's questing mouth. The coolness of the cream to the warmth of Joey's tongue and mouth was driving her wild.

Moving to Charlie's other breast, Joey takes her time, enjoying the way her wife was writhing beneath her. She kisses the valley between Charlie's breasts, trailing kisses downward. Unable to do much except open her legs wider, Charlie's breathe catches when she feels Joey's warm breath against her sex. Joey smiles at the wetness emanating from her wife.

"Fuck," Charlie moans when Joey runs the tip of her tongue along her moist lips. Finding her clit rock hard, Joey teases it, making Charlie shudder beneath her. She sucks it in between her lips as she plunges two fingers inside her. Almost frantic now, Charlie rocks her hips.

Feeling Charlie tense with her approaching climax, Joey pushes a third finger inside her, pushing Charlie over the edge.

"Fuckkkkkkkk," Charlie cries out, her hips still thrusting against the pumping fingers as her second orgasm catches her before she could even recover from the first.

Swiping her tongue over Charlie one more time, Joey moves up and lies by her side while her wife lay there, breathing heavily. "Joey," she pants out.

"Yeah?"

"I think I like cream buns even more now."

"It was certainly the nicest one I've ever had," Joey says with a chuckle.

"I'm feeling a little sticky, so why don't you grab the champers and the rest of the strawberries and we see how well that Jacuzzi fits two." She chuckles as Joey leaps off the bed and grabs the supplies. With a gleam in her eye, she follows after her wife, fully intending to return the favour.


	16. Chapter 16

_Sorry I haven't posted for a while, but have been too ill to write but will be back to regular posting now. Thanks to all those who keep reading and for those who review, it's always appreciated._

* * *

><p><strong>…2007<strong>

Shannon shook her head as she watched Charlie drive away. It had been 10 days since her little chat with Joey and things were still going the same way, Charlie would go out and Joey would stay up waiting for her return. She knew because she was often up late working on her book and could see Joey's bedroom light on from her study. From what she could see, it didn't look like Charlie particularly enjoyed her nights out and seemed more of an attempt to avoid being around Joey while Joey remained too hesitant to make the first move. She felt like banging both their heads together and telling them to get their act together but that probably wouldn't work either. They needed to find their own way to each other, she just hoped it didn't take forever because it was driving her nuts seeing her friend mope around.

At least they were still around though, which was a good thing. While Nick hadn't been happy that she'd sussed them out, after he had run a more thorough check on her and made sure she understood she couldn't say a word to anyone, he'd decided not to pack them all up and go to another house, for which Shannon was grateful for; she'd come to like the little family next door. Charlie on the other hand, had been even less happy than Nick and had wanted them packed up and gone. Shannon had found it quite amusing, because she had a feeling that her finding out about them wasn't the only reason, it was more that Charlie wanted Joey away from her. She actually quite liked the aloof officer, despite her rudeness and took a perverse joy in calling her by the new moniker she'd come up with, Chuckles, in honour of her seriousness. It may have been rather childish, but she couldn't help teasing her repeatedly just to see the fire in those blue eyes aimed directly at her, fierce blue eyes with a tinge of green anger. Maybe if Charlie got past her jealousy and stopped avoiding Joey, she'd see that there was nothing going on between the two of them.

She rolled her eyes. If those two wanted to continue to dance around the issue, there really wasn't much she could do, except be there for her friend while she pined over the oft-absent officer.

* * *

><p>Charlie woke the next morning with an extra weight on her bed. "Ruby, what are you doing?" she mutters without opening her eyes.<p>

"How do you know it's me?"

"Because your mum or Nick would be heavier on the bed."

"Oh." She lies down next to Charlie so they were face to face. "Why are you so grumpy lately?"

Charlie opens her eyes, surprised by the question. "I'm not grumpy."

"You don't smile much."

"I have a lot on my mind."

"Like what?"

"Adult stuff."

"Like what?"

Charlie's lips twitch. She'd learned the hard way to avoid the question game Ruby could drag you into, a game that could go on forever. "It's a little early for this Ruby."

"It's after 7."

"Ruby, I didn't get to bed until 1.30."

Ruby holds her little hand up and counts her fingers, frowning, before starting again. "Oh, that's not long."

"No it's not."

"If you want to sleep longer, I can wait," she snuggles against Charlie's front.

Charlie shakes her head and closes her eyes. There really was little point arguing with the child at times and she was so adorable she could never be angry with her.

* * *

><p>Joey checks in on her daughter when she doesn't come out of Charlie's room, her heart catching at the scene on the bed. Charlie seemed so comfortable with her daughter these days and Ruby had come to love her a lot, maybe a little too much. It worried her a little what would happen once the case was over and they went their separate ways and if Ruby would understand why Nick and Charlie weren't around. Of course there was a chance Charlie would want to stay in contact with them, she thought. "Yeah and if I had the guts to tell her how I feel, maybe we could become a real family," she added silently to herself. "Or send her running." She closed the door to the room, wishing she had the courage to tell Charlie how she felt about her and how much she missed their quiet nights alone.<p>

* * *

><p>"Pirovic was arrested last night and bailed first thing this morning," Angelo filled Joey and Nick in on the latest developments.<p>

"How the hell did he get bail?" Joey asks, feeling sick to her stomach. She was glad he'd been arrested and charged, because it meant the trial could be started soon and all this would soon be over, but it also meant the danger to her was now more real and that her time with Charlie would also be over soon.

"He is innocent until proven guilty and he has had to hand in his passport and there are strict bail conditions. Of course, now that he's been charged, your testimony is more important than ever."

"And he knows all about me."

"Not where to find you. Joey, everything will be done to protect you and your daughter's whereabouts and if you continue to do as you have been, you'll be delivered to the courthouse, safe and sound. Now, we'll have to arrange for times so that we can go over your testimony and prepare you for court."

"That will still be months away, won't it?" she asks in a slightly trembling voice.

Nick reaches over and pats her arm. "It's going to be ok Joey, Charlie and I will be here with you all the way."

* * *

><p>Holding Ruby in her arms, Charlie walks out of her room, surprised she'd slept for another two hours. She frowns when she hears Angelo's voice. "Ruby, why don't you go to your room for a bit," she suggests, setting Ruby onto her feet.<p>

Ruby groans. "More adult talk?"

"Yes."

Sighing heavily, she makes such a forlorn figure as she trudges toward her room that Charlie couldn't hold back her laugh.

* * *

><p>"Joey, your testimony is going to be crucial, so I need you to tell me if there is anything in your past that could dent your credibility."<p>

She glances nervously at Angelo; there was something about the way he said it that had a voice screaming in her head, "He knows what happened to me!" Despite that, she shakes her head. "There's nothing. I've never done anything wrong."

"What's going on?" Charlie's interruption saves Joey from more of Angelo's questions.

"Pirovic's been arrested and released on bail," Nick informs her.

Charlie's eyes find Joey's, seeing a mixture of emotions there. She strides over to Joey's side and takes her hand. "It's going to be over soon Joey," she says with a confident smile.

Joey returns her smile with a weak one of her own. How could Charlie know what emotions were going through her right now. Charlie turns to Angelo. "I'm sure Joey would like some time to take all of this in."

Angelo's eyes narrow dangerously before he relents. They were still some months away from the trial and he needed his witness on side and besides, he was sure she knew that he knew and it would give her time to realise that there was no point in hiding anything from him, he'd find out. He gets to his feet. "I'll be in contact."

Charlie turns to Joey while Nick walks Angelo out. "I know you're scared Joey, but I'll be there for you and there is no way I'll let Pirovic or any of his cronies hurt you or Ruby," she assures her.

"You don't understand, I've testified in court before." She closes her eyes. "I've tried not to think about it until now, but now that they have the guy and it's going to court, it's bringing it all back."

"Bringing what back?" she asks gently, Joey's obvious distress scaring her.

Joey shakes her head furiously. "It's nothing."

"Joey, you can trust me."

"I know but," she shrugs helplessly. "I can't Charlie, I'm sorry." She gets up and rushes out of the room.

* * *

><p>All through the day Charlie had kept a close eye on Joey, worried about how withdrawn and sad she had become. Not even Ruby could cheer her mum up.<p>

"Is mummy going to be ok?" Ruby asks when Charlie put her down to bed that night.

"Of course she is. She just has a lot on her mind."

"Adult stuff?"

"Yes, adult stuff."

"I hate seeing her sad."

"So do I, but don't worry, I'm going to spend some time with her and try to cheer her up."

"I love you Charlie."

"I love you too kiddo," the words coming easily.

"Do you love mummy too?"

"Ah," her question catching Charlie off guard. "I um," she sighs. "Yes I do," Charlie admits. "She's become a very good friend."

"I'm glad." Ruby snuggles under her doona. "Night Charlie."

"Night kiddo." Charlie leans over and kisses Ruby's forehead. It surprised her how much she had come to care for the little girl, especially when she'd spent so much time running away from just the idea of kids, but Ruby had become such an important part of her life, it hurt to think of her not being around when this was all over. "Sleep well," she whispers.

She was disappointed to find that when she returned to the lounge, Joey had retired to bed. Approaching Joey's room, she hesitated, unsure whether she should push or wait for Joey to come to her. Making a decision, she knocks gently and opens the door. Seeing that Joey was already in bed with her back to the door, Charlie quickly closed it.

* * *

><p>Joey wrapped the doona around her tighter. She wanted to talk to Charlie but she was so used to keeping this a secret that she didn't know how to even start. She squeezed her eyes shut tight, trying to block out the images flashing through her mind.<p>

* * *

><p>Charlie shook herself awake. She couldn't believe she'd fallen asleep on the couch. Groaning at the uncomfortable position she found herself in, she glances at her watch. 3am. "Shit." She stretches out the kinks, her attention caught by muffled cries coming from Joey's room. Rushing over to her door, she listens for a moment before bursting in. Seeing Joey thrashing about on the bed, she narrowly avoids a flailing arm as she nudges Joey awake.<p>

"What!" Joey bolts up, her head nearly connecting with Charlie's.

"It's ok Joey," Charlie says in a soothing tone. "It's just a dream."

Joey stares at her blankly for a moment before her body is wracked by shudders. "It's not a dream."

Charlie sits next to her on the bed and gathers the crying woman in her arms. "Shhh, it's ok, I'm here," she murmurs, gently rocking her back and forth. It broke her heart to see the fear in Joey's eyes and feel her shaking in her arms.

* * *

><p>Sometime later, Joey moved away from Charlie, wiping her eyes. "I'm sorry, I got you all wet."<p>

"It's fine. Do you want to talk about it?"

To her surprise, Joey found herself nodding. "Can you hold me while I do?"

"Of course." Charlie lies down next to her, her arm going around Joey as she snuggles against her side, her head on her shoulder.

"This isn't easy."

"Take your time and if you don't want to go on, then stop."

With a broken voice, Joey tells her of the night her world was shattered, the night she was abducted, blindfolded, drugged and raped over and over. "It went on forever and every time I thought they'd finished, they'd start again." Charlie felt a growing anger at these two animals for what they'd done to her friend as Joey describes the pain and terror she endured throughout that night and her revulsion at learning her own brother had done that to her. Charlie does her best not to react at that bit. "I guess they must have finally tired of me because they bundled me into a car and dumped me on the outskirts of town. A passerby found me in the early morning." She sniffles. "I was unconscious for a couple of days because of the drugs and trauma and I was so traumatised, I couldn't identify them, even though one of them was my own brother."

"You were blindfolded and drugged Joey, you had no way to know."

"That's what Darryl kept telling me."

"He was right."

Joey drew strength from Charlie's words before continuing. "They raped five more girls before they were finally caught when Heath got drunk and let something slip to his girlfriend. Henri suddenly realised what he'd meant and went to the police. They wore condoms when they raped the other girls, but they hadn't with me because my rape hadn't really been planned and so as soon as the police had a suspect to compare the samples from me to, Heath was gone. He tried to weasel a deal by dobbing in his mate but Robbo turned on him and provided evidence that Heath planned each of the other abductions and provided the drugs." She sighs heavily. "God, I haven't had this nightmare in ages, but now that I know I'm definitely going to have to testify, it's just bringing it all back. It was so hard standing up in court, sitting in front of them while they smirked at me and their lawyers made me feel like it was my fault, that I somehow wanted to have sex with my own brother. I felt so dirty and weak."

"None of this is your fault Joey. You've done nothing wrong and you are the bravest woman I have ever met," Charlie tells her.

"Really?"

"Yes, really. To not only survive that horrifying ordeal and become the wonderful woman you are today, but to have stood up and faced them in court." She kisses the top of Joey's head. "That takes so much courage Joey."

Joey felt such comfort from Charlie's words and she had never felt as safe as she did right then in Charlie's arms. "I don't even know which one of them got me pregnant," Joey found herself revealing a secret only she and Aden knew.

Charlie's breathe catches at that bombshell. She now understood why Joey reacted the way she did when she'd asked about Ruby's father seeing her. Just the thought that that precious, happy child had been fathered by such a monster was hard to believe but seeing the wonderful child she was and the amazing mother Joey had become, it made Charlie admire Joey even more. "She's your daughter Joey, she's nothing to do with them."

"That's what I always tell myself and Aden, he's my best friend from back then, when I found out I was pregnant, I was so scared but Aden, he was amazing, he told everyone he was the father and thankfully, everyone believed that I was further along than I really was, even my own family. No one knows the truth except me, Aden and now you." Charlie couldn't believe the trust Joey had just shown her. "I never even told Darryl because he'd have killed Heath and I didn't want to risk the secret getting out that way. I also didn't want him throwing his life away on that lowlife. Darryl had his own family to take care of and he was already in trouble for beating Heath up and nearly killing him because of what he did to me."

"It's a heavy burden you've been carrying."

"One I'll always be willing to carry. No one, especially those bastards, can ever find out who Ruby's father could be."

"Did you ever consider having a DNA test to find out which one is?" Charlie asks a little hesitantly.

"I'm too scared, what if it's my own brother who fathered my baby?"

"It changes nothing. Ruby is still Ruby but I think knowing one way or the other could bring you some peace of mind, plus, there could be some medical issues that could come up if he is the father." Seeing the healthy child Ruby was, Charlie already suspected she knew who the father was, she just hoped Joey would eventually see that through her fears as well.

"I'll think about it," she says. "In the five years since it happened, it's been so hard to move past it, to get through the regular nightmares of the first couple of years, to be able to trust anyone at all. It's just been so hard."

"You were betrayed in the worst possible way Joey and it's completely understandable that would affect how you trust people." She felt even worse now about the way she'd been so quick to judge Joey early on. If she'd had any idea of the nightmare the poor woman had been through, she would have behaved so differently toward her. "Oh who are you kidding," she scoffs to herself. According to those she worked with, she lacked empathy when dealing with the human element of the job and had an inability to set witnesses at ease and she was forced to admit they were right. It was a seriously flaw, one she wanted to get rid of, especially after the way Joey had been so forthcoming. This is what it meant to be understanding, to be there for someone and it felt good.

"I've never even been on a real date," Joey admits. "And just the thought of being intimate with anyone is terrifying."

"What those bastards did to you was violence and nothing at all like being with someone you love. Joey, one day you will find out what being intimate truly is, what making love is and what being in love is all about."

"Have you ever been in love?"

"I've been in relationships, but I don't think I've ever found the one," she replies, though she suspected she had indeed found the one and she was lying in her arms now. However hard she tried to dismiss her, Joey was never far from her thoughts and her feelings for her had grown, not diminished with each pointless date with other women. "Hang on, haven't you and Shannon been on dates?"

"We're friends, that's all we've ever really been." Joey's admission surprised Charlie. She had been so sure they were a couple. "Charlie, I'm tired, but I don't want to sleep alone," Joey says in a quiet voice.

"You won't be alone, I'll be here with you."

"Really?"

"Yes." Moving under the covers, she closes her eyes as Joey snuggles against her more closely. It somehow felt so right to be lying here, with Joey in her arms.


	17. Chapter 17

**…2012**

Walking hand in hand into the hotel restaurant the next morning, Joey smirks when she sees Leah looking worse for wear at the table. "Great night, wasn't it?" Joey says a little louder than usual.

Groaning, Leah glares at her. "I think I'm too old to have this much fun," she complains, sipping the concoction the barman had recommended for a hangover. She winces at the terrible flavour. "Man, I think VJ's socks must have ended up in here," she mutters. She squints across at them. "Do you have to be so cheerful this early in the morning?"

"Can't help it," Joey says, grinning at her. "I'm high on love and I had such a sweet time last night," she adds with a suggestive wink at her wife.

Noticing the interesting shade of red Charlie was going, Leah rolls her eyes. "Oh, I don't want to know."

"Behave," Charlie whispers to Joey before she could say more.

"That's not what you said last night," she whispers back.

"Morning guys," Georgie says quietly as she joins them at the table.

Considering she'd drunk as much as Leah and had to be helped back to her room the previous night, she didn't seem to be suffering in the same way poor Leah was, thought Joey.

"Has anyone seen Bianca this morning?" asks Charlie as she looks over the breakfast menu.

"Nope," mutters Georgie.

"Haven't seen her since she left with Shannon last night," Leah answers, trying unsuccessfully to stifle a yawn.

"Leah, why didn't you stay in bed?" Joey says.

"Because it was going up and down, up and down," she covers her mouth, feeling nauseous.

Joey chuckles. She'd forgotten that Leah's room had a waterbed.

"I'm going to get the pancakes, what about you Joey, do you want the pancakes as well?" asks Charlie.

"I'll have the blueberry ones with lots of whipped cream," answers Joey, sending another blush through Charlie.

"You don't want to know," Leah says softly to Georgie who was frowning at Charlie's reaction.

"I'll be back in a minute," Charlie says, brushing her lips over Joey's.

"Don't forget the cream," Joey calls out as soon as Charlie's back was to her. She grins when she faces the other women. "I like my cream."

"Obviously," Leah mutters, braving another sip of the drink.

* * *

><p>"Look who I picked up on the way," Charlie says as she rejoins them.<p>

Joey grins up at Shannon who was by Bianca's side. "A little early for you to be up and about, isn't it?" she teases.

"I haven't slept yet," Shannon fires back.

"I'm not surprised," her eyes drifting to Bianca, who grinned back at her.

Bianca's smile didn't quite reach her eyes. She had enjoyed her night with Shannon and for a short time, it had taken her mind off a certain police officer but in the cold light of day, her feelings for Georgie had come crashing back. She glances over at her friend who had barely acknowledged her greeting. Sighing, she hoped Georgie wasn't uncomfortable with her after their dance last night.

"Your pancakes are getting cold," Charlie warns her wife.

"I like them cold, makes the cream last longer."

"I think I'm going to be sick," Leah says when Joey spoons even more cream onto her pancakes.

"Want some cream, Charlie?"

Charlie rolls her eyes at the suggestive twinkle in Joey's eyes. Whenever Joey was in this playful mood, it was best to go with the flow or risk a permanent state of blushing. "No thanks, I had enough last night."

"God, you two are hopeless," accuses Shannon. "It's the breakfast table."

"Which is why we're having breakfast," Joey answers back.

"You're having more than breakfast with those looks you're giving each other."

Joey and Charlie look at each other before turning back to Shannon. "What looks?" Charlie asks innocently.

"The look that says your minds aren't really here but upstairs having sex."

"Believe me Shannon, if that was the case, our bodies would be up there with our minds," Joey points out with a smirk. She takes a mouthful of pancake and wiggles her brows at Shannon.

"I don't know how you put up with her Charlie."

"It's an effort at times," Charlie says with a forlorn sigh. "But somebody has…oof," she rubs her side, glaring at her wife's pointy elbow and butter-wouldn't-melt-in-her-mouth expression.

"Just wait Joey, your daughter will be putting you through all of this in a few years."

Choking on a mouthful of pancake, Joey glares at Shannon. "Please don't remind me of that impending nightmare."

Chuckling, Charlie leans over, whispers a few words in Joey's ear and kisses her cheek.

"So what are you guys getting up to for your final hours in the big city?" asks Shannon.

"Recovery," Leah murmurs, very nearly asleep at the table.

Georgie shrugs and says nothing when Shannon looks her way. Joey frowns. Even for Georgie, she seemed quiet and out of sorts and she thought that maybe she did have a hangover after all.

Shannon's lip twitches slightly at Georgie's attitude this morning. She had caught a few of the looks Georgie had sent her way since they'd met and the last time she'd earned such a look, was when Charlie had thought she and Joey were a couple, only this time, Georgie had something to be jealous of. She hadn't intended for anything to happen and most of the night they'd just talked but then Bianca had made the moves and she'd succumbed and they'd spent the rest of the night having hot sex, and it had been hot. She blushes at the memories. It had been some time since she'd been with a woman, so she'd been rather enthusiastic and so had Bianca, though she suspected Bianca's enthusiasm was a way to take her mind off other things.

"Well, Charlie and I are going to visit her dad and maybe spend some time with our famous friend before we head back."

"I'm hardly famous," Shannon says with a blush.

"I don't see anyone else at this table with three bestselling novels to their name," Joey points out.

"I don't see myself as famous." She shrugs, "I write because I love to write."

"That's what I love about you Shannon, despite your success, you're still the same person we met all those years ago."

"Well I'm glad I can't say the same about you two."

"If we hadn't changed, we'd have ended up killing each other," Charlie says with a chuckle. Not to mention being incredibly lonely and missing out on the best years of her life, she adds silently.

Joey grins at her. "I have to admit, it was rather chilly living with Cruella de Bitch early on."

"Cruella de Bitch?" Bianca repeats. "Oh, I love that," she adds with a chuckle at Charlie.

"Joey wasn't much better, as far as I was concerned," Charlie says with a grin.

"They do say opposites attract."

"Or repel in our case."

"I can't see much repelling going on," Bianca mutters as Charlie and Joey kiss. "Well, I'm going to leave our two lovebirds and go and take in some sights."

"Want some company?" offers Shannon.

"Sure, as long as the lovebirds don't mind me stealing some of your time from them."

"Ha ha," Joey says, pulling away from Charlie. "Go, have fun, we'll catch up for a coffee later."

"I'll see you then." Shannon glances over to the other two women. "It was nice to meet you, Georgie and Leah."

Leah offers a little wave and groan while Georgie nods slightly, her attention on her coffee. She felt Shannon's eyes still on her but she didn't look up. She felt bad for being so cold toward her and Bianca, but she couldn't look at them without imagining what they had spent the night doing. It was ridiculous, what did she care if her gay friend spent the night having sex with a gorgeous woman? Her eyes drifted toward Bianca then down at her wedding ring. As long as she wore that, she had no say in who her friend chose to sleep with and like a lot of things, she knew she was too gutless to take the ring off.

Shaking her head in amusement at Georgie's snub, Shannon follows after Bianca.

"Excuse me, I'm going up to my room to lie down." Georgie rushes out before anyone could reply.

"I hope she's ok," Charlie says with concern.

"Probably just a hangover." Joey looks over to Leah, nudging her leg softly with her foot. "Maybe you should go and lie down as well."

"I think I might, but I'll stick with the couch."

"We'll call and wake you when it's time to go."

"Thanks."

Joey turns her attention to her wife. "So, do you want to go straight to dad's or take in a few sights ourselves?"

"We have a bit of time before dad's going to be home, so let's do some shopping."

"Ok, what did Ruby want you to get?" Joey asks with a resigned sigh.

"Just some decorations for her room."

"She really does have you wrapped around her little finger."

"You're a good one to talk. Face it Joey, our daughter turns those big eyes of hers on us and we're mush."

"I really am dreading the teen years," she mutters, getting to her feet.

"We have a few years to prepare."

"I don't think it's possible to prepare for such a thing."

Chuckling, Charlie takes her wife's hand. "Well, I'm sure we'll find some way to cope."

* * *

><p>Flopping onto the bed when they finally returned to their hotel room some hours later, Joey unwraps the present Shannon had given to her on their parting. "It's a copy of her new book." She opens it up, smiling at the dedication. <em>'To the bravest woman I know' <em>and in pen, _'In my book, the writer gets the girl."_ Joey laughs and shows it to Charlie.

"She really does have a good imagination, especially where I'm concerned in the book, no doubt."

"I still can't believe she chose me for her story."

"Why wouldn't she? What you've been through and survived, it's the stuff movies are made of." She lies on the bed next to Joey, smiling when Joey rests her head on her shoulder.

"How many people in Summer Bay will figure it out, especially from the early stuff in the book?"

"I dare say some will but everyone has been respectful of your privacy, I can't see that changing, even with this book."

"I know we went through the pros and cons after Shannon asked if she could do the story, but now seeing it in print."

"It's going to be fine, Joey." She rubs her back.

Joey snuggles against her. "Why don't we stay another night?"

"Are you forgetting that we agreed to take April for the night so Bianca could spend Shannon's last day in Sydney with her and I don't think it's fair to leave Aden at the mercy of the terrible two."

"I suppose not and I don't think I could cope with another night away from our little girl anyway."

"Yeah, I miss her like crazy too but at least we made the most of our alone time."

"I'm guessing more cream buns are out of the question with Ruby in the house."

"Those particular cream buns, I would say yes."

Joey props herself up on her elbow. "We still have half an hour before we have to leave."

"I'm not sure I can be that quick," Charlie teases her.

Joey settles back down next to her. "Let's just snuggle then."

"That I can handle."


	18. Chapter 18

**…2007**

Charlie woke, feeling slightly disorientated before she remembered where she was; in bed with Joey half on top of her, their legs entwined, Joey's head on her shoulder and her hand resting dangerously close to her breast. She looks so peaceful though, is the first thing that pops into her head. Never one to snuggle before, even with women she actually felt something for, there was something that just felt so comfortable and right with Joey like this.

Charlie kisses the top of the sleeping Joey's head. Nothing could ever happen between them of course, but one thing was certain, after last night, she was going to make sure she was here for her every night instead of out having meaningless talk or sex with women who just didn't interest her. Not like Joey did. "Don't go there Charlie," she warns herself.

"Mmm," Joey mumbles, moving slightly in her sleep.

Charlie's breath catches when Joey's hand brushes over her breast. There was no way she could extract herself from their compromising position without waking Joey. She didn't want to, but she needed to get up. "Joey," she says gently.

Joey wriggles against her, her eyes still shut. She looks so adorable, Charlie thought, before telling herself once again not to go there. "Joey, you need to wake up," she says a little more loudly and nudging Joey's shoulder.

"Huh, what," Joey finally raises her head. Finding her face inches from Charlie, she rears back in shock, banging her head against the wall behind her. "Oww," she rubs the back of her head.

"I'm so sorry," Charlie sits up. "I didn't mean to startle you."

"My fault, it's just that I've never spent the night in the same bed with someone before and I guess after the nightmare and what I talked about last night," she shrugs. "I just panicked when I sensed someone so close."

"It's ok Joey." Now she felt like a fool for not thinking about how Joey might react to suddenly being woken up like that. She should have known, especially after she'd been on the receiving end of Joey's elbow the last time she'd startled her. Of course now she understood why Joey reacted that way that night. "I just didn't think."

Joey reaches for her hands. "Charlie, it's not your fault and you know what," she smiles at Charlie. "I have never felt as safe as I did last night with you."

Charlie looks down at their joined hands, a mix of emotions rushing through her. "I only wish I could have been there to protect you back then and spared you from that nightmare ever happening."

Unbelievably touched, Joey brings Charlie's hand to her lips, kissing it lightly. "You're here now Charlie and I know you'll protect me and my daughter."

"Damn right I will." Her heart was doing flip-flops in her chest with the way Joey was holding her hand to her lips.

"There is something else you can do, it's about what I said last night."

"Joey, I won't breathe a word of it to anyone, I promise."

"Thank you Charlie, but I think Angelo might know though."

"That wouldn't surprise me. He might be an arrogant bastard, but he's very good at his job and very thorough in his background checks of all those involved in his cases."

"I just hope he doesn't find out about Ruby."

"You said only you and your friend knew the truth, so I can't see how Angelo would find out."

"What happened to me, it won't come out in court, will it?"

"I really don't know." She gently pulls Joey back into her arms. "Whatever happens, I'll be there with you."

Once again, Joey felt completely safe.

* * *

><p>Sitting at the brekkie table with Ruby on her lap, Joey cuddles her daughter. "I'm sorry for being such a grump yesterday."<p>

"Did Charlie cheer you up like she said she would?"

"She did make me feel better."

"That's because she loves you," Ruby says brightly, causing Charlie to cough on her cereal and Joey to stare at her. "She told me last night."

"As a friend Ruby," Charlie hastily says. "That's why I said that." Joey had warned her about minding what she said around Ruby and her own hip pocket had taken a bit of a beating in fines, because there was a tendency for the little girl to repeat things she'd heard. She was just glad Nick had ducked into the station and wasn't around to hear this conversation.

Ruby frowns. "Is that different to when mummy says she loves me?"

Joey tries not to giggle at Charlie's predicament, one going by the look on her face, she seemed to be struggling to work a way out of.

"Well yes. You're her daughter, that makes her love for you very special."

Ruby mulls that over. "So I'm just a friend to you?" she says with a quivering lip.

"A very special friend," Charlie assures her. There were times she felt out of her depth with Ruby and unlike with the criminals she dealt with, she wasn't always sure if Ruby was truly upset or playing her because she had noticed that Ruby was fond of turning on the water works when she wanted something and quickly turning them off when it didn't work. It constantly amazed her how innocent and manipulative children could be.

"And you love mummy as a special friend too?"

Charlie's eyes automatically went to Joey's, those warm brown eyes laughing back at her and also holding something else there. "Yes, I do," the words escaping her lips before she could stop them.

Joey's heart flutters. There was something about the way Charlie looked at her when she said it that had her mind racing toward a possibility she had thought out of reach. She was attracted to Charlie, in a big way and she hated watching her leave for her dates because she wanted to be those women. But she was so inexperienced with all of this though, so maybe she was misreading things and only seeing what she was so desperately wanting to see there.

"Well I love you Charlie like my mummy," her words deeply touching to Charlie. Ruby glances up at her mother. "You love Charlie too, don't you mummy?"

Their eyes still on each other, Joey nods. "Charlie's a very special woman."

There was no mistaking the look in Joey's eyes, Charlie thought, realising things were in danger of getting out of hand. "Well, now that we've decided we all love each other," she says in a joking way, "How about we finish our brekkie because I'm starving." She stares into her bowl, trying to stop her heart from racing and reminding herself that she could lose the career she loved if she let anything happen between her and Joey.

Joey set Ruby down on the seat next to her, her mind a mix of emotion and confusion. She really wished she had more experience with these situations because she didn't want to make a mistake that would ruin their friendship. She could talk to Shannon again, but she just rolled her eyes at her these days when she asked for advice and told her to follow her instincts, which was half the problem, she didn't trust her instincts.

Both women spent the rest of breakfast mulling over their thoughts, neither really reaching a satisfactory answer.


	19. Chapter 19

**…2012**

Joey rolled over, snuggling against her wife, sighing contentedly as the early morning sun was starting to rise. She'd loved their time away but she'd been happy to finally be home. She grinned. There had been a couple of rather frazzled looking men who had been even happier when she and Charlie had turned up to pick up two rather hyper girls, or maybe a more accurate description would be that they rescued Aden and Geoff from two rather hyper girls. Poor Aden had shaken his head and murmured his admiration of people who raised more than one kid.

Thankfully, in the short drive back to their place, the excitement had drained from Ruby and April and they pretty much went to bed the moment they were through the front door. And with an early shift the next day, Charlie hadn't been far behind them. Joey hadn't really been tired, so she'd made a start on Shannon's book.

It was weird reading it. She saw so much of herself within the pages yet she was also surprised by how Shannon had seen her. She knew Charlie admired her strength and courage, but reading it and realising others saw her that way, had been a total surprise and after reading it, she wasn't so sure people would recognise her. The facts were there but Shannon had weaved her story in a way that people who knew her and what she had been through, wouldn't necessarily associate it with her, especially with the second part of the book being about her time with Charlie or in this case, ditching the cop and ending up with Shannon's writer character, Bridget. There were actually times she'd become so absorbed in the story that even she had forgotten she was reading about herself. She just hoped that if people did recognise her as being the inspiration, that they saw the woman Shannon and Charlie saw and not someone to pity.

She felt Charlie moving. "You're not going to work today," she murmurs, placing her arm across her wife's middle. "I won't allow it."

"Fine, I'll call the station and tell them my wife won't let me come into work."

"Sounds good to me."

Charlie chuckles. "You know I'd love to stay but I can't."

"Why couldn't I have married a dole bludging surfy chick," she moans exaggeratedly.

"Because you like my uniform."

Joey props herself up on her elbow. "It's more the handcuffs," she wiggles her brows suggestively.

Charlie sits up, brushing her lips over Joey's as she does. "In this mood, I'm scared about leaving you here to get up to mischief."

"Bianca's not getting back until noon, so the only mischief I'll be getting up to is with the girls."

"Now I'm really scared about leaving you here to get up to mischief." She dodges when Joey makes a grab for her. "No delaying tactics."

"Spoil sport," she complains as Charlie crawls off the bed.

"I just know if I give in even a fraction, I'll be running late in no time."

"Is that a compliment?"

"Most definitely." She strips off her nightgown, much to Joey's enjoyment. "When I'm with you, I forget time and just about everything else."

"I feel the same about you."

"I'm going to duck into the shower, alone," she warns Joey.

"I'll behave," Joey assures her with her hands up in surrender.

* * *

><p>"Must remember to lock the bathroom door," Charlie mutters as she rushes out of the bathroom later than she'd hoped. She glares at Joey who was standing there naked, drying her hair with a satisfied look on her face. "You really will send me to an early grave or get me fired one day."<p>

"It's not my fault you have no will power."

Unfortunately, Charlie couldn't argue with that. "So, are you going to take Aden up on the job offer?" She asks as she hurriedly gets into her uniform. Somewhere between Aden complaining about being run off his feet at home and at work, Joey had ended up with a job offer to work with him at the boat charter company he managed.

"I think I will. I don't have a lot of experience on boats, but he did say it was more about greeting the customers, keeping them happy and serving food. It doesn't sound all that different to the waitressing jobs I've had or my last job as a receptionist."

"Well, I think you'll be wonderful at it."

"Thanks Charlie." And if it didn't work out, well it wasn't like she needed to work for the money, she thought to herself. The reward money she'd gotten for information in the Pirovic case had set them up nicely, though they had decided to set aside most of it for Ruby's future and any other children they may have.

Charlie grabs her keys. "Say hi to Bianca for me when she picks up April."

"I will."

"I gotta go," Charlie says, pausing to kiss her wife goodbye. "I love you, bye."

"Bye love," she calls out to the now empty room.

* * *

><p>"Go away Charlie," Leah says when she and Georgie walk in to the diner on their lunch break.<p>

"What did I do?"

"You and your wife made me have fun and I still haven't recovered."

"We'll make sure that you never have fun again," Charlie solemnly promises with a huge grin. "And we'll make sure to keep you away from waterbeds," she adds.

"Please, don't mention that, it makes me queasy just thinking about it."

"Cheer up Leah and if it makes you feel any better, you're not the only one still suffering," she nods toward Georgie.

Georgie had been quiet and distracted all morning, but not because of the same reason as Leah. The whole way back from the city yesterday, her mind had been going over how it had felt being held in Bianca's arms and the implications of that and then her mind would start to imagine what Bianca and Shannon were doing back in the city. She had kept reminding herself that it really was pointless thinking about Bianca, aside from being married, she doubted that a beautiful woman like Bianca would be interested in someone like her, especially when she could pull famous people and so by the time Joey and Charlie had dropped her off at home, whatever confidence she'd gained from the makeover had pretty much evaporated. Then when she'd found Jack's note on the kitchen table to say he'd taken their son to the movies, she'd grabbed a bottle of beer and sat alone, drinking. And if that wasn't depressing enough, once Jack had returned and Romeo was in bed, in a drunken haze, she'd finally had sex again with her husband. Jack hadn't even wondered why after all this time she was suddenly throwing herself at him, he'd just taken her up on her offer and then left for work the next morning without saying anything. Why would he say anything, when all they'd done was what married couples do, have sex. She sighed. She had stopped having sex with Jack because she just didn't get much enjoyment out of it and last night had been no different and she doubted if finally giving in would change anything; Jack wouldn't stop seeing Martha even if he was getting it at home and she probably wouldn't stop thinking about women in the way she did. Face it Georgie, decision time was coming, she told herself, right before her self-doubt returned. It was always there and while she knew it held her back some at work, it never stopped her being a good cop, just not the best cop she could be, but outside of work, it could be crippling to her. God she hated this part of her character, that it had always had a hold on her ever since her parents had repeatedly told her she'd never really amount to anything, always said she wasn't pretty enough to keep a guy unless she was knocked up and she hated the way their constant criticism made her live her life to please them. "Fuck," she mutters. She really was pathetic.

Lost in thought, she jumps slightly when Charlie nudges her and hands her the coffee and food she'd ordered.

"We'd best get back on patrol."

Georgie nods, trying to push her thoughts away as she follows Charlie toward the squad car. They'd nearly reached the car when a bright yellow convertible sped past them, nearly running over a pedestrian.

"Bloody idiot," Charlie says, tossing her coffee and lunch into the bin as she ran past it, quickly followed by Georgie's.

They jump in the car, sirens blaring as they set off in pursuit, Georgie driving, while Charlie called it in.

"He's going to kill someone," Charlie mutters.

Fifteen minutes later, they were still in pursuit of the car as it sped along a back road. Not liking the way the car was being thrown around on the unsealed road, Charlie glances at the speedometer. The guy must be an idiot to be going the speed he was and they weren't any closer to catching him. "Georgie, abandon pursuit, it's too dangerous."

Georgie breathes a sigh of relief, she'd been about to suggest the same thing. She had just started to take pressure off the accelerator while Charlie let the station know they were abandoning pursuit, when she lost all control of the car and they had a moment to scream before they smashed into a tree.


	20. Chapter 20

**…2007**

It was three days since Ruby's announcement over breakfast and both women were tiptoeing around the issue. They hadn't talked again about what Ruby had said and their own inner conflicts had brought a touch of awkwardness to their friendship and while they didn't avoid each other and they still sat up at night to watch a movie together, they now sat at opposite ends of the couch, which was where they were now.

Charlie's eyes drifted toward the other woman who was gazing intently at the TV. Her mind had been going over things over and over in the last few days, always coming back to the same conclusion. Becoming involved with a witness was risking career suicide; she could be accused of taking advantage of a woman in her protection and if word got out about an affair between them, it could seriously dent Joey's credibility in court and risked letting a dangerous criminal and cop killer go free which was totally unacceptable. And even if that didn't end her career, no other officer would ever look at her with any respect if Pirovic walked free because she couldn't keep it in her pants.

She'd worked too hard to get where she was and she loved her job and while her father had never had a problem with her being gay because it in no way affected who she was or her career, would he be so supportive of her life decisions if she sacrificed her career for an ill advised relationship? Somehow she doubted he would be supportive and she wouldn't blame him. Love was important, but so was following your dreams and being a cop and advancing through the ranks had always been her dream.

Following in her father's footsteps career wise was all well and good though, she thought, but she was also in danger of following her father down another path. Her parent's marriage had failed because her father put his dedication to his career first which was what she was doing, the only difference being, she wasn't in a relationship. She rubbed her temples. It was too confusing, every time she came up with all the cons of what being involved with Joey could lead to, she'd take one look at her and want to be with her but then she'd start to worry that losing or damaging her career could make her resent Joey in the future which would then have her thinking about the effect on Ruby. She was an ambitious woman, could she really give up everything and commit to a relationship while her dream faded away? She wasn't sure she could and she loved the little girl too much to risk hurting her and her mother by entering into a relationship she may or may not be able to fully commit to.

Charlie was well aware she was over analysing the situation, but she couldn't help it. This was something she never expected to be facing, a choice between love or career. Career, she told herself. There was no guarantee it would work with Joey while she was more than confident she'd have a successful and fulfilling career. Her eyes drifted once more to Joey. And I could be missing out on the chance of something special with a woman she'd come to realise, she was desperately in love with.

Fuck, life was so unfair with the way it screwed around with things; everything was going along perfectly, until that fateful day when her Sergeant gave her this assignment. Maybe she should wait until after the court case and if her feelings were still just as strong, then maybe she could act on them, assuming Joey felt the same. She did suspect Joey felt something for her, but was it as strong as what she felt? Oh shut up Charlie, before you drive yourself even crazier than you already have been.

Charlie's mind wasn't the only one in turmoil. Joey wanted to tell Charlie how she felt about her, but every time she convinced herself to go for it, her confidence would desert her and she would be besieged by doubt and questions. Would a beautiful woman like Charlie ever be attracted to her was one question she kept asking herself. She had sensed something the other day when Charlie had looked at her, but since then, she hadn't seen Charlie looking again at her like that, in fact, she rarely saw Charlie even looking at her. What if she was misreading things and seeing only what she wanted to see, was another question playing over and over in her head, as was the one of whether she'd ruin their friendship if she acted on her feelings and they weren't reciprocated.

One answer she had come to though, was that she just wasn't ready to do anything about it. Maybe if she had more experience and was more confident in her ability to read other people, she'd be able to do this but she wasn't and she didn't think she would be able to handle the rejection if she was wrong.

She glances over at Charlie when she hears a heavy sigh coming from the woman. Charlie really was a beautiful woman, she was confident, experienced, she could have any woman she wanted, she could, Joey stopped that train of thought, already depressed enough about the situation. "I'm going to bed," Joey says, getting to her feet. "Goodnight."

"Night," Charlie replies, her eyes lingering on Joey's retreating figure. She stood and went over to the liquor cabinet, pouring a Bailey's. As with each night since Joey's nightmare, she would sit up for an hour or two longer so she could check in on Joey and make sure she was asleep, before she would head to her own room. Tonight, with her mind in overdrive, she had a feeling she might be up longer than that.

* * *

><p>Charlie quietly sipped her morning coffee. She had finally gone to bed about three hours after Joey, but some of that time had been spent sitting by Joey's bedside, making sure she was resting peacefully after she had found her sleeping a little restlessly. She doubted Joey even realised she was there or that she was such a restless sleeper at times, yet she seemed to still the moment Charlie sat down and by the time she left for her own room, Joey was well and truly settled.<p>

Stifling a yawn, Joey wanders into the kitchen, setting Charlie's heart racing as she was only in the oversized t-shirt she slept in and so she wore no bra and was showing plenty of leg. "Morning," Joey mumbles. She'd slept surprisingly well, but she still desperately needed her morning coffee to stimulate her overtaxed mind into gear this morning.

"Here's your coffee," Charlie says, setting the already prepared coffee down in front of Joey.

"Thanks." She takes a deep whiff of the aroma, before sipping. "Ahhh, just what I needed."

Charlie chuckles. Joey loved her first coffee of the day and if Charlie was up first, which she usually was, she always made sure a mug was ready and waiting for Joey when she walked into the kitchen. "How did you sleep last night?"

"Not one nightmare." She smiles suddenly at Charlie, "I think you drove them away the other night."

"I hope so, but if they come back, don't be afraid to come to my room and I'll sit with you until you sleep," Charlie says.

"Thanks Charlie, you really are a great friend."

"Can I get you anything to eat?"

Joey shakes her head. "I'm going to finish my coffee and then shower before I have something."

"Well I need to duck into the station but Nick is in the study if you need him."

"I'll be fine Charlie."

* * *

><p>Charlie frowns when she sees the car parked out front on her return. "Shit," she mutters, recognising it. She was furious he hadn't called first, so she could be there with Joey.<p> 


	21. Chapter 21

**…2012**

Joey looked at the mess. Bianca was due any minute and the kitchen looked like a bomb had gone off in it, though in this case, it was a couple of ten year old girls who had wanted to bake a cake. It really was remarkable how cake mix could find its way just about everywhere, she thought as she takes her shoe off to clean off the gooey mess stuck to the bottom. "Yep, remarkable," she murmurs. The girls had offered to help with the clean up, but she had images of them creating an even bigger mess so she'd sent them off to the bathroom to clean themselves up instead.

Joey had just managed to put her shoe back on when the doorbell rang. "This really wasn't good planning on my part," she mutters as she makes her way to the door.

Bianca grins when she's greeted by Joey. "The abominable snowman does exist after all."

"I think I'm wearing more flour than went into the cake."

"I probably should have warned you that April's kind of a disaster in the kitchen. Would you like a hand to clean up?"

"You're a guest."

"After you took April in last night, it's the least I could do."

"In that case, you can start on the ceiling."

"The ceiling?"

"Don't ask," Joey says with a shake of her head. "So how did you enjoy your time in the city?"

"It was great. Shannon's a fun woman to be around."

"Any chance of it leading anywhere?"

"Even if I was interested in something more, she doesn't even live in the same country, so it really wouldn't go anywhere."

"I don't think she plans to be overseas forever."

"I know, but as much as I enjoyed the time we spent together, I just didn't see us as a long term prospect. We're more just about a bit of fun and nothing more than that."

Joey thought it a shame, as they seemed to get along really well and looked like such a cute couple together. "Oh well, maybe you'll find someone here."

"Yeah, maybe," Bianca says in a quiet voice. The one person she wanted was out of reach and she'd rather be alone than have meaningless sex with other women, Shannon being the exception. There had been a connection there with Shannon, but her mind was elsewhere too much of the time. And with the way Georgie had been toward her over breakfast, she had also spent quite a bit of time worrying that she had indeed made her friend uncomfortable during their dance.

Joey hands her a mop and points to the ceiling. "So, are you ready for school?"

Bianca chuckles at the globs of cake mix clinging to the ceiling. "Yeah I am and I'm even happier that I don't teach home ec."

"I admire you and other teachers. I have a hard enough time dealing with one kid, so I don't know how you manage an entire class."

"With threats and intimidation," Bianca says with a big grin, while swiping the mop across the ceiling.

It didn't take them long to get the kitchen in order and then Bianca watched over the girls while Joey had a quick shower. She'd just joined them in the lounge when the phone went.

* * *

><p>Charlie glanced at her watch. Having been checked over by the doctor, she was now waiting anxiously for news on Georgie.<p>

"Charlie!"

She looks up just as Ruby flies into her arms, quickly followed by Joey. Charlie hugged her family close to her. "I was so worried when Peter called," Joey says, her voice full of emotion.

"I'm fine Joey, just a few bruises and a bloody nose from the airbag deploying."

Joey cups her face, wincing at the redness to her wife's nose. "It's not broken, is it?"

"Close but luckily, no."

"Are you really ok?"

"The doctor wants to run some scans just as a precaution, but I've got no sign of a concussion, I have some bruising from the seat belt and airbag and it's only my nose that really hurts some, so I really am fine Joey, it's Georgie I'm more worried about."

"What about Georgie?" Bianca couldn't stop the worry in her voice. She, like Joey, had been a nervous wreck on the drive to the hospital.

"Her side of the car took the brunt of the impact and she was unconscious when she was bought in. The doctors are still in with her, so I don't know any more about her condition."

"Has anyone told Jack and Romeo?" Joey asks, unaware of Bianca's inner turmoil.

"Jack's in court today, which means his phone is off, but Peter's left a message with the courthouse, so hopefully he'll get the news as soon as possible and Romeo's with some friends. Leah is going to swing by and pick him up."

Talking of Jack was like a knife to Bianca, a reminder that Georgie was already taken and would never be hers.

"You should have listened to me this morning when I said you weren't going into work today," Joey tells her wife.

"Staying in bed with you could have been just as dangerous," quips Charlie. She was still worried about her friend's condition, but for the moment, she needed to take that worry off her wife's face. She tugs on Joey's belt, pulling her closer so she could wrap her arms around her again. "I really am fine."

"I just hate this part of your job and I'm terrified that one day I'm going to pick up that phone and someone is going to tell me I've lost you forever."

"I wish I could promise that would never happen but I can't. All I can do is promise that I will try my hardest to stay safe so I can come home to you and our daughter."

Joey leans into her wife, drawing comfort from her warmth. "I love you so much."

"I love you to baby."

"So what actually happened?" asks Joey. "All Peter said was that you had been in an accident."

"We were chasing this idiot and I had just called off the pursuit because I felt it was getting too dangerous, when Georgie lost control of the car."

"She lost control of the car?"

"It wasn't her fault. I heard a noise moments before the car went out of control and I think it might have been a tyre blowing."

"It was," Peter says, joining them. "We found parts of the tyre on the road near the skid marks. At the speed you were going, on an unsealed road with a blown tyre, there wasn't much Georgie could have done to prevent what happened."

"I could have called the pursuit off sooner."

"Charlie, that tyre could have blown at anytime, it was an unfortunate accident."

"What about the car we were chasing, any sign of it?"

"It was reported stolen in the city last night before the owner changed his mind two hours later and said it wasn't stolen. When he was informed today that it was involved in a high speed pursuit, he claimed again that it was stolen."

"Let me guess, someone in his family borrowed it without asking."

Peter nods. "He finally admitted his younger brother took the car for a joy ride. We've charged the brother with dangerous driving, driving with a suspended licence and every other traffic offence we could think of."

"You should throw more than the book at him," Joey says with a tinge of anger. "He's the reason my wife and friend are in here."

"The fact that two police officers were injured during the pursuit could play a factor in how hard the magistrate comes down on him."

"Give me five minutes with him and he'll find out how hard I can come down on him," Joey mutters.

Charlie smiles at her wife. "He wouldn't stand a chance." She notices the doctor hovering by the door. "Dr Walker, how is Georgie?"


	22. Chapter 22

**…2007**

"The defence are using the usual tactics to delay things but it shouldn't be long until the trial date is set," Angelo tells Joey.

"Do you have any idea when it will be set for?"

"There's only a few months left of the year, so I'd be surprised if it started before the new year." He smiles encouragingly at her, "Don't worry, it won't be much longer until you're free to go back to your old life."

Joey drew little comfort from his smile or his words. There was just something about the guy that set her nerves on end and she hadn't liked how he had just turned up unannounced on their doorstep this morning. "Will I be safe to return to my old life after I testify?" Joey hadn't voiced this fear to anyone, unwilling to even face it herself.

"Once you've testified in court, it will be on record and so there would be no need to harm you afterward, in fact, your earlier testimony would carry more weight against him if something were to befall you and one thing I know about Pirovic, is he's not stupid." He knows he has to kill you before you testify, Angelo silently adds.

"What if he gets off?"

Angelo pushes his annoyance aside, reminding himself that he needed to keep her on side.

* * *

><p><em>Charlie frowns when she sees the car parked out front on her return. "Shit," she mutters, recognising it. She was furious he hadn't called first, so she could be there with Joey. <em>

She knew he hadn't called, because she was positive Joey would have called her if he had, especially after his last visit had left Joey so upset and had led to a return of her nightmares. Charlie also knew that Joey was worried Angelo had found out about what had happened to her as a teen. She hurries up the path, hoping she wasn't too late.

* * *

><p>"The murder you witnessed is not the only charge he's facing and we have more than enough evidence now to ensure a conviction, especially along with your testimony."<p>

Joey did like how confident he was about the case, but she still asked him what would happen to her if Pirovic wasn't convicted.

"That's extremely unlikely to happen, but if by some chance he's acquitted on the murder charge, then hurting you would achieve nothing as you can't testify against him a second time, because he can't be recharged with that offence."

So the real danger to me is before the trial, Joey thought to herself.

"Ah Constable," Angelo says when he notices Charlie standing at the entrance to the lounge room. He'd been hoping she'd be gone a little longer.

"I'm surprised to see you here so early," Charlie says, while sitting right next to Joey on the couch. Joey was silently thanking Charlie for her arrival, feeling such relief at her presence.

"I was in the area, thought I'd drop by," explained Angelo.

And you just happened to have all the relevant files handy, she thought snidely. More likely he wanted to catch Joey off guard to see if she would reveal anything that could harm his case. "Where's Nick?" she asks as politely as possible.

"He's next door helping Shannon move a couple of her bookcases," answers Joey. "Ruby went with him."

"Can we get back to things," Angelo rudely interrupts, "I have an appointment shortly."

"Then maybe you should have called first and arranged a more convenient time," Charlie points out.

"Please, I want to get this over with before Ruby's back," Joey says. Feeling bad at the slight strain in Joey's voice, Charlie squeezes her hand in reassurance, before sitting back and crossing her arms over her chest, glaring at Angelo.

Angelo was furious. He had never liked Charlie, the way she always acted like she was better than everyone else at the Academy, which he was forced to admit, she usually was. Still, he couldn't stand her and he didn't want her interfering in any way, but with one look at her determined expression, he knew he was stuck with Charlie staying right where she was. He returns his attention to his witness. "Ok Joey, I asked you once if there was anything that could dent your credibility, so why didn't you tell me about your rape?"

"How in the hell can being raped dent her credibility?" demands an angry Charlie.

Angelo glares at her furiously. "Not that I need to explain anything to you Constable, but I need to know everything about my witness so I'm never caught off guard and can immediately refute or prevent the defence from continuing on in a direction that may not only just damage her credibility but inflict a psychological advantage over her that could affect her entire testimony. It's also about convincing the jury to trust my witness and not the defence's smear campaign and that is a lot easier to do if I can not only refute what they say, but do it quickly and with the right responses so it's obvious the defence is just trying to discredit her."

It did sort of make sense to Joey. "Do you really think they'd mention my rape in court?"

"It would be a risky move on their part as it could illicit sympathy for you," which is what he planned to do if the defence found a way to discredit her. He could use her rape to draw sympathy and have the jury eating out of his hand while the defence would look like bullies if they tried to turn it back on her. If they got in first though, he sighed inwardly; he really did need to prepare her for that possibility. "But these guys do play tough and if they think they can use it to throw you off, then they could bring it up and they could even twist and manipulate it to besmirch your reputation and have the jury questioning the type of person you are, especially if they also bring in that you were a teen mum. When it comes down to it, a trial isn't just about the evidence or the truth, it's about the spin and perception of that evidence and truth. Now, is there anything else you haven't told me that I need to know?"

Joey shook her head and looks down at her hands clasped tightly on her lap. Noticing Joey was getting more upset, Charlie gets to her feet. "Aren't you going to be late for your appointment?"

Realising he couldn't push Joey any further for today, Angelo makes a show of glancing at his watch. "So I am."

"I'm sure that Joey would like for these things not to be discussed when her daughter is around, so perhaps in future, you could call and make an appointment," Charlie suggests as pleasantly as possible but with steel behind her words.

I need Joey on side, Angelo reminded himself, while plastering a fake smile on his face and nodding at them. "Thank you for your time today Joey and I'll be sure to call in future. I'll see you later."

"Why do I always feel worse after talking to him?" Joey says with a wry smile once they were alone.

"That's just Angelo and believe me, he often has that effect on people." She puts her arm around Joey's shoulders and brings her closer. "Angelo is good at his job, but unfortunately, he lacks compassion for those involved in his cases and will do anything to win."

"That's a good thing if he's on our side though, right?"

"Better on our side than against, for sure."

"I really hope it doesn't come up in court though."

"You're a strong woman Joey and you will be able to deal with anything that happens in that court room."

I'm not strong enough to tell you how I feel about you though, Joey thought sadly. Or am I? Having no idea what she was doing, Joey just let her heart take over from her self-doubt riddled mind and presses her lips to Charlie's. Her lips were so soft and she was surprised when they opened for her. It was the most amazing kiss and feeling she'd ever experienced and she didn't want it to end.

Charlie's brain had gone from telling her to stop this immediately to taking a back seat to her heart as she deepened the kiss, her hands now resting gently against Joey's back, preventing her from moving away, not that Joey seemed inclined to pull away at any time soon.


	23. Chapter 23

**…2012**

_"Dr Walker, how is Georgie?"_

"Wait," Joey says. She turns to Ruby and April. "Girls, why don't you go down the corridor to the gift shop and buy some flowers for Charlie and Georgie," she says, handing them some money.

"Come on April, the grownups want to talk without us," Ruby tells her friend with an air of resignation as she takes the money and leads her friend away.

Once the two girls had left, the adults turn their attention back to the Doctor.

"The Constable's injuries are severe," Sid informs them. Bianca couldn't prevent a gasp from escaping her lips as Sid continues. "Because most of the impact was to the driver's side door, the air bag offered little protection and she has extensive internal injuries, which along with the blood loss, has placed a strain on her heart."

"Oh god," Joey murmurs, seeking comfort in her wife's arms.

"We have her on a ventilator to help her breath and take some of the strain from her heart. She also has a broken arm, broken ribs and a small hairline fracture to the side of her skull."

"What are her chances?" Peter asks. His voice appeared even but inside, he was being torn up by his friend and colleague's condition and he feared what awaited her husband and son when they finally got here.

"She's in a critical condition and if she makes it through the next 24 to 48 hours, then the chances will swing in her favour. Has her family been notified?"

"I left a message for her husband, but I'll try the courthouse again and have them drag him out if necessary." He glances at his watch. "Leah should be here shortly with Romeo, so I'll make that call and wait out the front for them. Let me know if there is any change Sid."

"Will do. I'd best get back to my patient." He pauses in front of Charlie. "Dr Holden is with another patient, but she should be able to run your scans within the hour."

"It's ok doctor, I'm not planning on leaving the hospital while my friend is fighting for her life."

Sid nods to her and hurries out.

"How could I get off so lightly, yet Georgie has to fight for her life?" Charlie shakes her head as Joey hugs her. "It's not fair." She had seen it for herself though, turning up to accidents to find someone had died or was seriously injured yet someone else barely had a scratch. It just seemed so random and unfair as to who lived and who died and while she was grateful she had come out of this with nothing more than a few bruises so she could be there for her wife and daughter, her friend also had a child and husband who would be devastated if they lost her. She held on to her wife even more tightly, whispering that she should have called off the pursuit a lot earlier and then maybe Georgie wouldn't be fighting for her life.

"You heard Peter, it was an accident, one neither of you could have prevented."

"I know that, I do, but it doesn't make me feel any better, especially as I'm standing here and she's not." She rests her forehead against Joey's. "Georgie just has to live."

"She will."

"I'm sorry, I need to," Bianca leaves it unfinished as she bolts from the room.

Charlie watches after her with concern. "Maybe you should go after Bianca," she suggests. "We both know she feels more than just friendship for Georgie, so this can't be easy for her."

"Shit," Joey mutters. She'd had such a great time on their night out, she'd totally dismissed Bianca's feelings for Georgie, especially when Bianca had gone off with Shannon and then she hadn't even twigged that those feelings could be the reason why Bianca never saw Shannon as anything more than some fun. Sometimes she really did overlook the obvious, like she had with Charlie. Her wife had admitted that she'd only sought sex with those other women to prove to herself she wasn't really attracted to her, except it had the opposite effect and made her realise she had much deeper feelings. So why should Bianca be any different, that going off with Shannon was just a distraction and didn't mean she felt any less for Georgie.

Charlie smiles at her wife's ever changing expressions. "What is going on in there Joey?"

"I'm thinking what an idiot I am at times."

"You're not an idiot."

"I just feel so bad for Bianca, the way she looks at Georgie at times, yet she can't be with her because she's married." She shrugs. "I guess that's why I was hoping for something more to happen between her and Shannon, so that maybe she'd move on."

"Feelings for someone else don't just disappear though."

Joey nods in agreement. "I'd best go see if I can find her."

"Can we come back in or is it still adults only?" Ruby asks from the doorway just as Joey turned to leave.

"Of course you can come in," Charlie says.

Ruby walks over to her and holds out a small bouquet of flowers for her step-mum. "I got these for you."

"They're lovely Ruby."

"We got a bunch for Ms Watson as well," April adds, showing them the flowers. She thought it weird that a married woman didn't have her husband's name and went by Ms, instead of Mrs.

"I'm sure she'll love them as much as I do."

"Ruby, keep an eye on Charlie," Joey instructs her daughter. "And just in case she wimps out of waiting for the doctor, make sure she doesn't leave until I or the doctor comes back."

"Will do mum." Ruby takes a defensive stance, crossing her arms across her chest as if daring her step-mum to pass her.

Charlie couldn't help it, her step-daughter's pose was so adorable and so like her mother, she swooped down, picked her up and swung her around, all of Ruby's tough stance coming undone as she giggled in her step-mum's arms.

* * *

><p>It took about twenty minutes for Joey to find Bianca sitting outside in a secluded spot on the hospital grounds.<p>

"I just had to get out of there," Bianca says as Joey sits down next to her.

"I'm sorry I didn't realise how upset you were earlier."

"I wish feelings came with an off switch so I could turn mine off." She wipes her tears away and raises her eyes to Joey's. "I think I'm in love with her Joey and I can't do a thing about it and it hurts so much, especially now when I want to be there with her through this, but that's her husband's place."

"You can still be there for her Bianca, as her friend."

Bianca shakes her head. "I don't know if I can be around her anymore as just a friend, it's too hard." She sighs heavily. "When you asked me the other day what my intentions were toward Georgie, I told you I respected her marriage and that it's not my style to go after someone already in a relationship, yet when I'm with her, I want to ignore that rule but then I remind myself it's pointless, Georgie's with a guy and she wouldn't return my feelings so making a move on her would gain me nothing and probably ruin our friendship and most likely my friendship with you and Charlie."

"We're not in the habit of turning our backs on our friends, even if they make a mistake," Joey assures her.

"It's just so hard Joey. I have never felt this strongly for anyone before and I just can't see a way out of this that doesn't leave me hurting."

"I wish I could say something that would help."

"It's my fault. Georgie's always been out of bounds, so I should have pushed my feelings aside before they ever got this far."

"I know a little about what it's like to be in love with someone and not be able to tell them, and those feelings aren't something you can really stop from happening."

"You and Charlie?"

Joey nods. "We were both in the same position and it took us forever to get our act together."

"Except the object of my affection is a straight married woman and not a single gay woman who returns my feelings."

"Your feelings are as real though. Bianca, I know this isn't easy, but Georgie is going to need all her friends around her while she recovers."  
>"If she lives."<p>

"Of course she'll live and I won't hear anyone saying any differently."

Appreciating Joey's confidence, Bianca allows a small smile to grace her face.

Joey gets to her feet and holds her hand out. "Let's go back inside and support our friend."

Bianca takes her hand without hesitation. Joey was right, Georgie needed all her friends and what sort of person would she be if she couldn't be there for the woman she loved? She just hoped she was strong enough to get through this without her heart breaking any more than it already was.


	24. Chapter 24

**…2007**

It was just one kiss, but it was long, slow and so full of longing it left Charlie breathless when they finally came up for air, her forehead resting against Joey's. "That shouldn't have happened."

Hearing it as rejection, Joey steps away from Charlie, her shoulders slumping. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have kissed you, of course you don't want me like that," Joey says, her voice quavering in fear that her impulsive actions had just ruined their friendship.

Charlie quickly reaches out for Joey's hand. "I do want you," the words out of her mouth before she could stop them and her heart skips at the magnificent smile that came to Joey's face. "God, I want you so much Joey but there are complications. Angelo's been worried about anything that could dent your credibility, well we've just given him one. If we let something happen between us and it got out, the defence could argue that I used our relationship to influence your testimony and if Nick found out before the trial, then I could lose my job or I'd at least be punished and taken off the case and I wouldn't be allowed to see you." She lifted her hand gently to Joey's face. "And I don't know if I could trust anyone else with yours and Ruby's safety."

Joey lent into the caress. "I guess I never thought about there being complications." She shrugs sheepishly. "It's all kind of new to me and the moment, it just felt right and I couldn't stop myself."

"I loved the kiss Joey and I wish it could happen again."

"But it can't."

Charlie shook her head sadly. Of all the women she'd been with, only Joey had ever evoked the desire, the need in her with just one kiss and if things were different, she sighed miserably. There was no point saying if only things were different because things weren't different.

"So what happens now?" Joey asks.

"We go back to how it was before."

"Just like that?"

"I know it's not going to be easy, but it only needs to be until the trial is over, then, if our feelings haven't changed, there is nothing stopping us from being together."

"They won't change," Joey blurts out quickly. "At least mine won't."

"I can't see mine changing either."

"Can we really do this, I mean the trial could still be months away." Months of being around each other and not being able to touch.

"It's what we have to do Joey."

A mix of emotions was rushing through Joey. She was ecstatic that Charlie wanted her but she hated that once again, her current circumstances was impacting on her life and was now keeping her from being with a woman she'd come to care so much for.

"Hey mum!" Ruby yells as she runs into the room.

"Ruby, what have I said about yelling and running in the house?"

"Don't yell and don't run in the house," she says with a roll of her eyes.

Charlie covered her mouth, amused by Ruby's expression.

"So what is so important you had to run inside and yell about?" Joey asks.

"Um," Ruby frowns. "I forgot."

Chuckling, Joey picks Ruby up in her arms and kisses her cheek.

"Aw mum, I'm not a baby."

"Oh, I'm sorry, no more cuddles for big grown up Ruby then."

"That's a shame," Charlie pipes in with a sad look. "I'm going to miss my Ruby cuddles."

"If it makes you feel better, then you can cuddle me," Ruby declares.

"Why thank you Ruby," Joey says, smiling at Charlie over her daughter's head as she cuddles her daughter.

"Charlie too," adds Ruby.

Charlie steps forward and takes her from Joey's arms. "Are you sure it's ok to cuddle you?"

Ruby nods enthusiastically and throws her arms around Charlie's neck.

She really was wonderful with her daughter, thought Joey and she really hoped they could become a family once this was all over.

"For someone with such short legs, Ruby sure has some speed on her," Nick says as he joins them in the room, feigning that he was out of breath.

"When you get your breath back, perhaps you can tell us what was so important that Ruby forgot," Joey says.

"Oh, um, Shannon has some tickets to the Wiggles for this afternoon and you're all invited."

"Wiggles, that means there's going to be a lot of screeching kids, right?" Charlie asks, feeling slightly horrified at the prospect.

"Hundreds just like Ruby," Joey happily informs her. "And all without a volume switch."

"Nick, why don't."

"Sorry Charlie," Nick cuts her off. "I have to make some very important calls."

"Yeah, I'll bet," she mutters.

* * *

><p>Charlie flops down onto the couch. In an odd way, she'd thoroughly enjoyed the concert, not that she was willing to admit that to anyone. She looks up as Joey walks into the lounge room. "Ruby already asleep?" The poor girl had had so much fun at the concert, she'd nearly fallen asleep at the table when they went to McDonald's for tea afterward.<p>

"She was out before her head even hit the pillow," answers Joey. "So, what did you think of your first Wiggles experience?"

"About what I expected," she says in a disinterested voice.

"So you didn't enjoy yourself?"

"Not my kind of music."

"Then the singing along and dancing to the music, that was just to fit in?" Joey asks with a smirk.

Charlie grimaces. "I think the music must have addled your brain if you imagined me doing that."

"It's ok to admit you had a good time Charlie."  
>"I have a reputation to maintain."<p>

"And being a Wiggles' lover would damage that?"

"Severely."

"Then your secret is safe with me."

Their eyes met and Charlie had to fight to resist moving forward and kissing her. She broke eye contact. "How about I make us a cuppa?"

"Sounds good." Joey smiles as Charlie rushes from the room; the way Charlie had looked at her only a moment ago, had been wonderful. It would have been more wonderful if something more could have come from it than just a look, but for now, she settled for just knowing Charlie was attracted to her.

* * *

><p>Joey opens an eye, scanning the room. She wasn't sure what had awoken her, she'd just had a feeling and she nearly leapt up in fright when she saw the shadowy figure, until her eye adjusted to the dimness and she saw it was Charlie. Before she'd gone to bed, Charlie had asked her if she was feeling better after Angelo's visit and reminded her if she had nightmares or couldn't sleep, then to come to her room. She guessed Charlie had decided to keep an eye on her just to make sure she was all right and had fallen asleep in the chair. It really was touching the way Charlie looked out for her and she doubted the extra attention was part of her duties as a police officer; she was in her room because she cared. A feeling of contentment and security washed over her and she left Charlie to her sentry duty and closed her eyes, quickly drifting off into a restful sleep.<p> 


	25. Chapter 25

**…2012**

Joey had finally managed to drag Charlie away from the hospital and get her tucked up in bed. She'd protested every step of the way, but the moment her head had hit the pillow, she was out of it. They'd both been relieved when Charlie's scans had come back clear and normally that would have been cause for celebration, but no one was in a mood to celebrate anything.

Sid, as he asked them to call him, had let them spend some time in the room with Georgie and it had been heartbreaking to see their friend lying there, the sound of the machines a constant reminder to the seriousness of her condition. They weren't allowed to stay too long though, as it was only supposed to be family only, much to Bianca's distress. The moment Jack had finally arrived, she'd taken April and made a quick exit. She really felt for her friend and knew that if she had been the spouse, that Bianca would never have left Georgie's side. Joey also felt for Jack and Romeo. Jack had looked so lost and shattered when he was informed just how serious his wife's condition was and poor little Romeo, had been utterly devastated to see his mother like that and had gotten so upset, that Jack had had to pick him up and take him from the room to calm him down. Once he was calm, Jack decided it would be best to send him home with Leah and VJ, rather than have him getting upset again. She just hoped that under Leah's tender care, Romeo got some sleep.

"No, it's not fair," Charlie murmurs in her sleep. Already spooning her, Joey tightens her arm over her and kisses the back of her shoulder, whispering soothing words to her. No matter how many times she told Charlie she wasn't to blame, right now, she just felt too guilty for getting off so lightly to listen. Joey had a feeling that only when Georgie was out of danger, would her wife be willing to accept that she has nothing to feel guilty about.

Jack had also expressed guilt that he hadn't been there for his wife. Joey had sensed something else was bothering him and she had a feeling there was more behind his guilt, yet under the circumstances, she kept her opinion to herself. She still had no proof he was cheating on his wife and this was the absolute worst time to bring something like that up. They all needed to be there not just for Georgie, but also for her family. Joey did wonder though, what had happened between Jack and Peter because you could cut the tension between them with a knife.

* * *

><p><strong>Earlier at the hospital:<strong>

Jack was wracked by guilt as he raced up to the hospital entrance. The case had been adjourned early and instead of returning to the station, he'd stopped by Martha's. He shook his head. While his wife had been fighting for her life, he had his phone turned off so he could screw his mistress without interruption. He had never felt so bad about his affair until now and despite the state their marriage was in, he still cared for his wife; she was the mother of his son and when they'd made love last night for the first time in ages, he realised he still found her attractive and desirable.

"Jack," Peter waylays him before he could go inside. "Where have you been, because you weren't at the court house where you were supposed to have been."

"Yeah I know. The case finished early for the day so I took a bit of time to catch some fresh air after being stuck in that stuffy room."

Peter stares at him. "Don't lie to me Jack. I know you're up to something and after what's happened with Georgie, that is something your conscience is going to have to deal with, but while your wife is in that hospital bed, you will put her and your son first, do you understand me?"

"Yes Sarge."

"And when she's better, stop jerking her around," he says harshly. "If you're having a bit on the side, then you either end it or end your marriage because Georgie doesn't deserve to be treated as second best. Are we clear?"

"Yes. Peter, I never meant for," he stops when Peter raises his hand.

"I'm not interested in excuses. Just get in there and be a husband and father. Oh and Jack, don't ever turn your phone off when you're on duty, unless you're actually in court or I'll have you up on report the next time."

Feeling even lower and guiltier than before, Jack follows Peter into the hospital.

* * *

><p>Charlie murmurs again. Her wife had been given two days off because of the accident and while Joey knew she wouldn't be able to get Charlie to relax much during her time off, she could make sure she got a decent night's sleep. She was pleased when Charlie responded to her soothing words in her sleep. "It's going to be ok," whispers Joey.<p>

* * *

><p>Yawning, Charlie rolls onto her back and glances at the clock. She was surprised to see the clock flick over to 9.30. Normally, she hated sleeping in if she was alone like now, but her body seemed to appreciate the extra sleep this morning. Her nose still hurt but the bruises she received from the seat belt had dulled. She had stiffened up somewhat though, she found when she sat up. Moving gingerly, she made her way to the bathroom, where Joey had laid out everything she needed for a shower, including a note telling her to shout downstairs if she wanted help to get to those hard to get places. Joey had written a few other things that had her blushing. Her wife certainly knew how to brighten her day, she mused, even if she wasn't here to do it personally. Weighing up her options, she decided on showering alone because calling down to Joey for help would mean she'd be mollycoddled for the rest of the day. Stepping into the shower, she let the warm water wash over her, while hoping that today there was better news about her friend.<p>

* * *

><p>The shower had been soothing and now that she was up and moving about, Charlie was starting to loosen up. Heading downstairs, the aroma of coffee had her stomach rumbling.<p>

"Wow, I've seen boxers looking better than you after going 10 rounds," Joey jokes as she kisses her wife good morning.

Charlie had grimaced herself when she'd seen herself in the mirror. Her nose was still swollen and her eyes looked liked she'd been punched in the face a couple of times. "I did feel as if I'd gone 50 rounds before my shower."

"And now?"

"Maybe five rounds."

"You were a bit restless last night, so I hope you don't mind that I didn't wake you."

"It's fine, I obviously needed the sleep. Has there been any news from the hospital?"

"There's been no change in Georgie's condition, which is a good thing. You know what Sid said, that the longer she holds on, the more it swings in her favour."

"I hope so." Charlie looks around, thinking it was too quiet. "Where's Ruby?"

"Aden was by earlier and he offered to take Ruby so we can spend time at the hospital. We can go as soon as you've had something to eat."

Charlie wanted to argue that they should go now, but she doubted her wife would let her out the door without breakfast and she really could do with a coffee, so she sat down and let her wife pamper her.

* * *

><p>They weren't allowed into the room, but they could view Georgie through the large window, which Charlie had rested her forehead against. Her friend looked almost peaceful and if it wasn't for the ventilator and all the other machinery, she'd think Georgie was just asleep.<p>

"Bianca hasn't been in this morning," Joey says as she returns to Charlie's side. Given how Bianca felt about Georgie, they'd been surprised to not find her here when they'd arrived. Thinking she might have just stepped out for some fresh air, Joey had done a quick look around before asking a nurse. "I hope she's ok, she was so upset yesterday."

"I might go and check on her," murmurs Charlie. She turns her back on the window. "I just," she shrugs.

"I understand Charlie. It's not easy seeing Georgie like this."

"It so easily could have been me."

"But it wasn't you and going over the _if onlys_, doesn't help anyone."

"I know that, I do, but I just can't help it." She sighs. "Survivor's guilt isn't an easy thing to deal with."

"Georgie survived too Charlie," she reminds her. "And I'm here for you if you need to talk or just need a cuddle."

"I could do with a cuddle now."

Joey opens her arms and welcomes her wife into them. "I haven't known Georgie all that long, but I do know that she will fight to get back to her loved ones, just like I would fight like hell for you and Ruby if I was in the same position."

"Please don't say that Joey, I wouldn't be able to cope if anything were to happen to you."

"Of course you would, because Ruby would need her Charlie mum more than ever."

Charlie knew Joey was right. "Well I hope I never have to find out."

"Same here."

Charlie holds onto Joey a little longer before stepping back. "I shouldn't be too long, but call me if there is even the slightest change in Georgie's condition."

"I will but if you need to stay with Bianca, then you should. There's plenty of support here for Georgie and for Jack, and right now, Bianca might need one friend a little more."

Georgie's parents still hadn't arrived, but Jack and Romeo were surrounded by his family and all morning, fellow officers had been stopping by, lending their support to them and offering words of encouragement to Georgie.

Charlie nods. "I'll call and let you know if I'm staying with Bianca." She brushes her lips over Joey's. "I love you."

"I love you too."


	26. Chapter 26

**…2007**

"Do you want tomato with your bacon and eggs?" Joey asks as Charlie takes a seat at the table. It was four days since they'd kissed and both women continued to struggle to keep their feelings in check.

"Yes thanks," Charlie replies, her eyes following Joey's every move. "She really does have a nice arse," she thought to herself. She shook her head, telling herself not think things like that as it just made things harder.

"Here you go," Joey says, setting the plate in front of Charlie and sitting down opposite her.

"Thanks."

Their hands touch as they reach for the sauce bottle at the same time. As hard as they tried though, it seemed that fate was conspiring against them, finding ways for them to touch without them even seeking it and each touch made it all the more difficult to contain their feelings. Smiling wryly, Charlie lets Joey have first dibs on the sauce. It was going to be an extremely long few months for them to get through before they could be together, especially if it was going to be like this the whole time.

Joey concentrated on the plate in front of her. The other morning when she woke, her sentry had gone and Joey had said nothing to Charlie about it. Instead, the next night, she had feigned sleep and waited and sure enough, Charlie came in to check on her, only this time, she didn't stay long. Knowing Charlie was watching over her, had allowed her to sleep much more easily these past few nights.

"Are you practicing again today?" Charlie asks.

"Huh?" Joey replies, having missed the question during her musings.

"I asked if you were practicing today."

Joey nods. "Nick said he had some time later this morning." After Joey had seen a brochure on self-defence and mentioned she wouldn't mind learning some moves, Nick had offered and for the past two days, he had been teaching Joey the basics and for those two days, Charlie had sat with Ruby and watched. Joey was a quick learner and had a natural grace about her that made it look effortless when she practised the moves on Nick. Charlie also found it rather humorous and cute when Ruby stood and mimicked her mother's moves while she practiced.

"Hey Rubz," Joey greets her daughter with a kiss on the cheek. "Want some cornflakes?"

Ruby shakes her head and sighs heavily as she takes the seat next to Charlie.

"That's an awfully big sigh for such a little girl," Charlie says to her. "What's wrong?"

"I killed him."

Charlie frowns at Joey who shrugs. "Killed who, honey?" Charlie asks gently.

"Frank."

"Who's Frank?"

"My pet." She holds her hands up.

Charlie yelps when she sees the spider on her palm, then leaps to her feet when it moves.

"Ruby, where did that come from?" Joey asks between fits of laughter at Charlie's reaction.

"Lachie said I could borrow it." Shannon's eldest was going through a stage of playing practical jokes and it seems he was enlisting others into his cause.

"I thought it was real," mutters Charlie as she sits back down, her dignity in pieces.

"I think that's why they make them so life-like," Joey points out. She found it rather adorable that her big, tough cop was afraid of spiders, even fake ones.

"I'm sorry Charlie, I didn't mean to scare you so much."

"It's ok Ruby, you just caught me by surprise." She hugs the little girl to her. "Why don't you try it on Nick."

"Good idea." Ruby disappears out of the kitchen.

"Charlie, if I were you, I'd check your bed tonight," teases Joey.

"Bloody hell!" Nick's shout comes through clearly.

Feeling better now that she wasn't the only one caught out, Charlie returns to her now cold brekkie.

* * *

><p>A week later and Joey was still enjoying her lessons, so much so that when the weather turned bad, they ended up tracking down some old gym mats and setting them up in the corner of the garage, where she and Charlie were now.<p>

"Ok, I think I've got the hang of things if someone comes at me from the front, but what if someone grabs me from behind?" asks Joey.

"My solar plexus has a vivid recollection of how effective your elbow can be," Charlie jokes. "But I can show you a few other moves, if you'd like?"

Joey nods eagerly, keen to learn as much as possible.

"If they're behind you and have their arm around your neck, you grab hold of it, stomp on their foot, then you kind of do this," she demonstrates the next part of the move.

"Seems quite easy."

"It needs to be done quickly, to catch them off guard and off balance. Here, let me show you." She has Joey turn her back on her and places her hands on Joey's hips to position her, her touch sending a jolt of electricity through both women. Charlie barely managed to catch the gasp before it escaped her lips, her heart beating faster as she leant against Joey's back, her arm going around Joey's neck. Being this close to Joey was so distracting and everything about what was happening to her was so very different to what she had ever experienced before. There was just something about Joey that called to her and she found it quite funny really, how the most aggravatingly annoying woman she had ever met had somehow become the most important woman in her life. She really, her eyes opened wide when she remembered too late that this probably wasn't the best time to let her mind wander as she felt Joey's foot gently tap hers, then she was being lifted off her feet and sent sailing over Joey's shoulder, to land with a heavy thud on her back.

"Oh my god Charlie," Joey rushes to the side of the winded woman and kneels by her. "I'm so sorry."

"My fault," Charlie manages to force the words outs. "Wasn't…paying...attention," she gasps breathlessly between each word.

With the way Charlie was lying on the mat, Joey couldn't help it, she started giggling. She covered her mouth when two blue eyes glared lasers at her. "I'm sorry, but you look like one of those splat cats you see in windows."

Raising her head, Charlie looks at how she was lying and grinned, she did look like a splat cat. With her breath coming back to her, she sits up and rubs the back of her head.

"Maybe we should take you to the doctor," Joey says with concern, her hand reaching out to touch Charlie's head, their hands once again touching briefly.

"I'm fine, I was just winded more than anything."

"Did you see what I did?" Joey says excitedly now that Charlie was ok. "I did it exactly the way you showed me and over you went." She made a motion with her hand to show the trajectory.

Smiling wryly, Charlie congratulated her for her quick study.

"Here, let me help you," Joey moves forward to help Charlie as she tries to get to her feet. Overbalancing, Charlie automatically reaches out for support, her arms going around Joey, only her weight was already going backwards and she ended up falling back onto her back, with Joey lying on top of her. Silence descends, except for the beating of their hearts that both women imagined they could hear as their eyes met.

"I could lose myself forever in those beautiful blues," Joey thought while Charlie was absolutely captivated by the warm, soulful eyes drawing her in even deeper.

Suddenly Charlie was breathless for a completely different reason. It was pointless trying to contain her feelings any longer, she thought, because they were far too strong. Placing her hand behind Joey's head, Charlie gently pulls her closer, their lips meeting softly at first, before things grew more passionate.

Joey shivers and groans at the way Charlie's hand was running up along her side. She thought their first kiss was amazing, but this was even more and her body felt like it was on fire. When Charlie's hand brushed gently against her breast, she gasped at the sudden jolt that went through her and settled between her legs.

"What the hell is going on here!" a harsh voice demands.


	27. Chapter 27

**…2012**

Jack hovered outside the hospital room while the doctor examined his wife. He was feeling so down and usually when he was feeling like this, he'd seek out Martha but with his wife still fighting for her life, running to his mistress' bed was completely out of the question, especially when he still felt bad about being there while all of this was happening. Martha had said she understood that he needed to be here for his wife and son, yet he suspected Martha would only wait around so long for him. For a while now, she'd been pressuring him to end his marriage so they could become a proper couple and he just kept fobbing her off, telling her it wasn't the time because the truth was, as much as he wanted Martha, his wife was well respected and liked and he didn't want people to judge him if he left her for another woman, especially his son, who looked up to him. Romeo adored his mum and he didn't want to disappoint him by running out on them, even more so now with his mother so ill.

He was so confused right now as to what to do. Maybe having sex the other night was his wife's way of saying she wanted to try to save their marriage and with over a decade together, perhaps he owed her at least one attempt to save their marriage. After all, he only sort out Martha's bed when he'd become so frustrated with the lack of action at home, so if sex was back on the cards, maybe there was a chance to save it. Problem was, while he did love his wife and enjoyed it when they did have sex, it was Martha who he was in love with, who made his world rock when they were together and he didn't know if he could give her up.

He sighs. Peter was right though, he needed to make a decision and staring at the near lifeless pose of his wife, the decision did seem quite easy; his family needed him more than ever now and if Georgie somehow made it through this, she was going to take some time to fully recover which meant he couldn't abandon her. He also couldn't expect Martha to wait around for him on the off chance he may eventually leave his wife later down the track, so he was going to have to find a way to end things with Martha.

"Here you go."

Jack accepts the coffee from Joey. He didn't really know the senior's wife all that well, but Georgie always spoke highly of her and she had been nothing but kind to him today when he didn't even deserve it.

"Has the doctor said anything more?" asks Joey.

He shakes his head. "There's no change."

"She's going to pull through this."

"For Romeo's sake, I hope so." He sips his coffee and stares into the room. "I don't know if Romeo would be able to handle losing his mother."

"What about you?"

Unable to answer, Jack just shrugs.

"Well, neither of you will have to find out because Georgie's going to wake up soon."

Jack appreciated her confidence, but he wasn't sure he shared it. He just had this feeling that the worst was going to happen and his son would be motherless.

* * *

><p>Charlie pulls the car up outside Bianca's place and just sits for a minute. She couldn't blame Bianca for wanting to avoid the hospital, it was hard to see their friend like that and she couldn't really imagine how it must feel for Bianca who felt much more than friendship for Georgie. As someone whose wife kissed another woman, it felt a bit weird to be here supporting a woman in love with a married woman, but Charlie believed she would continue to respect Georgie's marriage and right now, Bianca needed her friends.<p>

Getting out of the car, she makes her way up the path and knocks on the door. She was starting to think no one was home, when she finally heard someone moving about inside and was just about to knock again when April opens the door.

"If you're looking for Bianca, she's still in bed."

Charlie glances at her watch. It was nearly noon; then she saw the empty wine bottles on the bench behind April.

* * *

><p>"Where are Georgie's parents?" Joey asks Jack.<p>

"On their way," was all Jack said.

She wasn't quite sure what to make of Jack. He was clearly upset at his wife's condition, yet he seemed distracted by something completely different but she didn't feel this was the time to speculate as to what it was and as for Georgie's parents, well, she was surprised they still hadn't arrived considering the seriousness of their daughter's condition. If anything ever happened to Ruby, nothing could keep her from rushing to her side and she knew Charlie felt the same.

* * *

><p>"Go away," Bianca mumbles, burying her head under the pillow and ignoring Charlie.<p>

Charlie pulls the pillow away. "You call this being there for our friend, getting pissed and burying your head in the sand."

"It's not sand, it was a pillow and I want it back."

"Well too bad." She tugs the covers off her friend, feeling rather relieved to see she wore a nightgown, even if it was rather skimpy.

"Leave me alone," Bianca complains.

"You can't hide away Bianca," Charlie says as gently as possible.

"I can't do it Charlie, I thought I could, but I can't see her like that."

"I know it's not easy, but this is about Georgie and being there for her."

"I'm not strong enough."

"Of course you are."

"You know, the stupid thing is, is if I was married to Georgie, you couldn't drag me away from her side, but I'm not married to her, Jack is and seeing him there by her side just makes this so much harder."

"So what's the plan then, you stay away and drink yourself into a stupor every day?"

"Sounds good to me."

"Fine, then I'll stay and join you."

"Go and be with Georgie, she's the one who needs you."

"So do you."

Bianca sighs. "I'm not going to get rid of you, am I?"

Charlie shakes her head.

Bianca looks at her friend more closely. "Why do I get the feeling you're looking for an excuse to stay away from the hospital as well?"

"I just," Charlie looks lost for a moment. "I'm feeling guilty because I got off so lightly and seeing Georgie in that bed is a reminder of how it so easily could have been me driving and it scares the hell out of me that I could have been the one lying there, fighting for my life. And I just can't stop thinking, that if only the tyre hadn't blown out then or if only I'd called the pursuit off a minute earlier, then none of this would have happened."

"You can't change what happened Charlie and for whatever reason, you were spared and you need to be grateful for that."

"Joey keeps telling me the same thing and believe me, I'm extremely grateful that I'm able to stand here with nothing more than bruises on me."

"And that makes you feel bad, doesn't it?"

Nodding, Charlie sits on the edge of her bed. "I know I have no reason to feel guilty but I do and it's like a vicious cycle that just keeps going around and I'm not sure how to break it."

Bianca chuckles softly. "God, we're pathetic, wallowing in our own guilt and self-pity when we both should be at that hospital supporting our friend."

Charlie smiles wryly. "So why don't we go and do that?"

"Just give me time to shower and try to make myself look less of a zombie and we'll go. I also need to find someone to take care of April."

* * *

><p>Georgie's parents had finally arrived and Joey had taken an instant disliking to them. She wanted to be understanding of their behaviour with their daughter in such a critical condition, but they seemed cold and distant and more interested in criticising their daughter's ability as a cop and Charlie's role in this, than seeing their daughter, none of which sat well with Joey. Jack had tried to explain it was just an accident, but they seemed intent on blaming someone, even their own daughter.<p>

"She should never have become a cop," her mother says. "She was never going to be any good at it and this just proves it."

Joey seethed and was just about to say something when Charlie arrived and waded into it. "Georgie is a good cop, one of the best here," she says with all honesty.

"And who are you?" Georgie's father demands.

"I'm her friend and senior officer."

"You were the one in the car with her?"

"Yes."

"Then as senior officer, why weren't you driving and why didn't you get her to stop before this happened to our daughter?"

"This is your fault," adds her mother.

"No one is to blame for this," Jack argues.

"Our daughter is lying in a hospital bed after a high speed chase she had no right to be a part of and someone is to blame for that."

"It wasn't anyone's fault, the tyre on the car blew out," Jack tries to reason with them.

"She should never have become a cop," her mother says again. "We were always going to get this call about her because she's just not capable of being good enough at such a demanding job."

"You just can't help yourself, can you, always finding some fault with Georgie when there is none," Jack finally snaps as he steps toward his in-laws. "Georgie is a wonderful woman, a great mum and she's one of the best cops I've ever worked with, not to mention, she's a damn good driver but you don't care about that, only about bringing her down because nothing she does is ever good enough in your eyes."

"You may be our son in law, but don't you dare speak to my wife like that again."

"I really don't think this is the time or place for this," Joey says in an even voice, though she wanted to drag the Watsons aside and knock some sense and sympathy for their daughter into them.

"Stay out of this!" Georgie's father barks at her.

"Stop it!" Bianca shouts out angrily, making them all turn and stare at her in shock.


	28. Chapter 28

**…2007**

_Joey shivers and groans at the way Charlie's hand was running up along her side. She thought their first kiss was amazing, but this was even more and her body felt like it was on fire. When Charlie's hand brushed gently against her breast, she gasped at the sudden jolt that went through her and settled between her legs. _

_"What the hell is going on here!" a harsh voice demands._

The two women fly apart and Charlie leaps to her feet, spinning around to face their accuser while trying to find some excuse to explain why she had her tongue down Joey's throat, only to find Shannon grinning at them. "It's about time you two dumbos finally got your act together."

"Bloody hell Shannon," Joey says with a mixture of anger and relief. "You scared the hell out of us."

"It's not my fault you couldn't keep your hands off each other in a place anyone could just walk into and spring you," Shannon points out. "Seriously guys, you take forever to get to together and then act all restless. What if I was Nick?"

"I'd be wondering why you were wearing that hot little number," quips Joey. She turns to Charlie, a little worried by how quiet she was, even more worried when Charlie refused to meet her eyes. "Charlie?"

"What was I thinking?" Charlie silently castigated herself for forgetting all her previous warnings and reasons why this was a bad idea until after the trial and being caught out, even if it was only by Shannon, just proved how dangerous this could be. What if it had been Nick who had walked in, or worse, Angelo turning up unexpectedly? Oh god, if Angelo had caught them like this, he could use it to try to control Joey's testimony and he'd relish a chance to ruin her career and keep Joey from her by hiding her elsewhere. She couldn't let this happen again, the problem was though, when she kissed Joey, it was like nothing else was as important and all thoughts that this was a bad idea flew out the window and she just wanted to prolong the kiss.

"Charlie?"

Joey's worried plea finally breaks through and Charlie shakes herself out of her thoughts. "I'm sorry, my mind was going over worst case scenarios and such."

"Oh, I'm wounded," Shannon says with her hand over her heart. "My discovering your little secret rates so lowly."

"No offence Shannon, but you're the best person to have sprung us, anyone else, even Ruby, would be somewhat of a nightmare."

"I think Ruby would be all for you guys."

"But she's so young to be expected to keep this kind of thing a secret, especially from Nick," Charlie replies.

"Considering how Ruby feels about Charlie, she's likely to be yelling it from the rafters that her mummy and Charlie are together," Joey adds.

"Really?"

Joey chuckles at the look of surprise on Charlie's face. "She adores you Charlie and already sees you as another parent."

It kind of shocked Charlie to hear that. She knew Ruby loved her and she loved the little girl but it never really occurred to her about being seen as a parent. Surprisingly, the idea of being a parent wasn't as scary as it once was and she was actually more scared of their relationship getting out to the wrong people and being forced apart. Wow, her life really has changed when in the past she wanted nothing to do with kids so always steered clear of single mums, yet here she was, not only wanting to be with a single mum but now that she thought about it, actually being open to the idea of being a parent.

"What's going on in that head of yours Charlie?"

"A lot." She smiles at Joey. "Don't worry, I haven't changed my mind about us, it's just that this is all becoming so hard and complicated and staying away from you isn't going to be easy."

"Not to point out the bleeding obvious," Shannon states quite firmly, "But I think the genie is well and truly out of the bottle and you've got no hope now of putting it back in."

"She's right Charlie. We tried to stay away from each other, but we're just kidding ourselves if we think we can, especially when we live so closely together."

"Nick seems like a great guy, why don't you just tell him?" suggests Shannon.

"He is a great guy but he's also a cop and I really don't want to find out how he'll react about us." Charlie sighs. "I've overstepped the line so far it's not funny and if he didn't take it well, he could have me removed from this case and that would mean I'd be kept from Joey, at least until after the trial and that is just one of the things that could happen."

"You guys certainly know how to make life hard for yourself."

"You're the one who told me this wasn't meant to be easy," Joey says with a small pout.

"Easy, no, but you two have taken it to a whole new level," Shannon says with a wry grin at her friends. "Look, the answer is fairly obvious."

"It is?" Charlie replies.

"Yeah, it is. Trying to stay away from each other doesn't work and you can't tell anyone else you're together, so why don't you just be together in secret," suggests Shannon. "It might actually make it quite exciting to be sneaking around, stealing kisses and touches."

"It also increases the chances of getting caught again."

"And pushing your feelings aside could lead to the same when you find yourself in a similar position today where you just give in to your feelings, so just give into them now, be together and it'll make it a lot easier to control the situation."

Charlie wasn't so sure about that, not when being with Joey made her want so much more.

"It's just a suggestion my little love-struck friends and under the circumstances, I don't think you really have much choice."

"You're enjoying this, aren't you?" Joey asks.

"After watching you two tip-toeing around each other, damn right I am." She moves forward and hugs Joey. "You look good together and happy so just remember, there are always complications but those meant to be together, will find a way to make it happen and you and Charlie belong together."

"Thanks Shannon, for being such a good friend."

"I always will be." She steps away and looks at Charlie. "Try not to make this complicated situation even more complicated by over thinking things," Shannon tells her. "Just follow your heart Charlie, it won't lead you astray." Wishing them luck with their decision, Shannon leaves her friends to mull over their choice.

"Do you really think Ruby sees me as a parent?" Charlie asks once they were alone.

"Why do you think she wants you to read to her all the time, tuck her into bed and kiss her goodnight? She loves you Charlie and as much as Aden is there for her when he can be, for so long, it's just been Ruby and I, until now. Does that scare you?"

"Months ago, it would have but you've both come to mean so much to me." She raises her hand to Joey's face. "And the idea of being a family is strangely appealing."

"So what do we do now then?"

"Shannon is right, the genie has escaped and neither of us are strong enough to put it back in the bottle, so we can't go on like we have been." She steps in closer, resting her hands on Joey's hips. "If we do this though, we're going to have to be so careful and keep it from everyone, including Ruby."

"I know but if this blows up in our faces, it's your career that could be on the line, are you really willing to risk that?"

"For the first time in my life, my career isn't the most important thing to me and I've come to realise just how empty my career and life was until you and Ruby came into it." It did surprise Charlie by how easily those words came from her lips and that in her heart, she meant every single one of them. She did hope that if their affair got out before the trial, she'd get little more than a reprimand for bad judgement and it really wouldn't have much of an effect on the trial and the worst thing would be being told to stay away from Joey until after the trial, which was far from a pleasant thought, especially as she'd be worried for their safety the whole time she was apart from them. After convincing herself so often of the gravity of the situation since her feelings first surfaced, it seemed rather silly to suddenly believe the risks to her career and the trial wouldn't be so bad, but staring into those warm soulful eyes made her want to let her heart rule her head and made her so willing now to take the risk. She tenderly cups Joey's face, "I love you Joey."

Tears of happiness come to Joey's eyes. "I love you too."


	29. Chapter 29

**…2012**

_"Stop it!" Bianca shouts out angrily, making them all turn and stare at her in shock. _"I can't believe you're all out here arguing while Georgie is lying in that room," she continues on.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" Mr Watson demands.

"Someone who cares about Georgie," Bianca replies calmly, which seemed to infuriate him even more. "If you want to argue, then perhaps you should do it outside."

"You have no right to talk to us like this or to tell us to go."

"No, but I do," Jack says. "And Bianca is right; this is hardly the place or the time, to be arguing, especially over something that can't be changed. It was an accident, we all need to accept that and just be here for Georgie."

Her father looked about ready to argue about that, before thinking better of it. "Fine, but we're not going anywhere," he says, taking his wife's hand. "We'll be in with our daughter." Without waiting for a reply, he leads his wife into Georgie's room.

"Jack, I'm sorry for my outburst," Bianca says once they were out of hearing range.

Jack looks at the woman. He'd only met Bianca the once but his son had been talking about her almost non-stop since she'd arrived at the school and he couldn't blame the boy for the crush he seemed to have on his teacher, because she was a looker. He was also grateful for her intervention, because when his in-laws were around, things could sometimes quickly go downhill. "It's just as well you did say something, or it could have gotten ugly."

"How can they talk about their own daughter like that?" asks Joey.

"They always have. They never wanted kids, then Georgie came along and interrupted their lives and she's been made to feel like she's a burden and that she somehow owes them ever since. You should have heard them when Georgie told them she was pregnant and I won't even repeat what they called me. I never once shirked my responsibilities to Georgie when she told me she was pregnant but you'd think I was some serial killer with the way they reacted." He shrugs. "Over the years, they have warmed to me."

Joey shivers. If that was warming, it must have been positively arctic at one time. Charlie puts her arms around Joey's waist. "Unfortunately, not all parents are like you," she says quietly to her wife.

"You're pretty good at the mum role as well," Joey reminds her.

"I had a good role model with my mum and with you."

Jack eyes them off a little enviously. He did love his wife and he adored his son, but they'd never had what these two women clearly had. He glanced into the room where his wife and her parents were and suddenly wanted to be elsewhere. "While her parents are in there, I think this might be a good time to go and check up on Romeo."

"We'll be here if you need to be contacted," Charlie assures him.

"Thanks and thanks for the support, I really don't know if Romeo and I could have gotten through this without all the support we've been given by everyone."

"We'll be here for all of you until Georgie is back up on her feet."

Jack smiles a little forcefully. He hoped his wife recovered, but he still held doubts. Shaking those thoughts from his mind, he bids them goodbye and leaves.

"It has to be so hard for him," murmurs Charlie.

"He has his family and friends and for the moment, there's not much anyone can do until Georgie's out of the woods."

Charlie nods. "Do you mind if we go for a walk around the grounds," she says. "I'm still a little wound up from before."

"Of course we can. Bianca, are you staying here or joining us?"

"I'll stay here."

* * *

><p>They'd walked the hospital grounds for about 15 minutes before pulling up some grass and lying in the sun, Charlie's head resting on her wife's lap. She had her eyes closed, just enjoying the way Joey's fingers were gently stroking her brow.<p>

"I hope you didn't believe Georgie's parents Charlie, because even Jack knows it was an accident and no one is to blame."

"With everyone telling me that, I'm slowly coming around to the idea."

"Good, because I prefer my wife happy instead of all mopey."

"I do not mope!" she protests.

"Remember that time you missed out on taking Ruby to the Wiggles concert because you weren't able to change your shift?"

"I did not mope over missing the Wiggles!"

"Even after all these years, you still deny being a Wiggles lover."

"And always will."

"So no blue skivvy for you for your next birthday?" Joey says with a smirk.

Charlie groans, remembering the time Ruby presented her with a blue Wiggles skivvy for her birthday and put on a sad little face until Charlie agreed to wear it for the rest of the day. Charlie had never felt so humiliated, especially when they went for a walk down to the park. Of course, Ruby's partner in crime who was still only her fiancée at the time, had snapped numerous photos of said humiliation and held it over her until Charlie had tracked down all copies, including the digital ones and made sure they met with a little accident with a shredder. She opens her eyes when her wife chuckles. "It's a good thing I love you, because you and Ruby have been hazardous to my coolness at times."

"Oh baby, you were never cool."

"Why you," Charlie says, moving quickly so that she was straddling her wife's waist and pinning her to the ground.

"A little public, isn't it dear?" Joey says cheekily.

Chuckling, Charlie leans down, pressing her lips gently to Joey's. "I love you."

"I love you too and it's nice to see that smile again."

"You always know how to make me smile, it's one of the reasons why I love you so much."

"I thought it was just my boobs."

"Those too." She moves off Joey and lies on her back again. "I just wish Georgie would wake up."

"She will Charlie."

"Yeah she will, I just hope it's soon." She rolls onto her side. "You know, after meeting her parents, I'm starting to see why Georgie is like she is."

Joey nods in agreement. "It can't have been easy growing up in such an unsupportive environment, that's for sure."

"Yet despite that, she's still a good cop and now that I know where that self-doubt has most likely come from, I think I can help her get past it and she can become an even better cop."

"It sounds like you're confident she'll not only pull through, but be back at work."

"I've decided to be like you, thinking only positive thoughts."

"In that case, then not only will she be ok, she'll be back at work and after your job in no time."

"Hey, if that's what it takes to get her past this, then let her go for it." She chuckles when she hears a rumbling sound. "I think it's time to feed the beast."

"That's no way to talk about your wife."

"I'm talking about your stomach and its insatiable appetite."

In reply, Joey's stomach rumbles again. Feeling better than she had in some time, Charlie helps her wife to her feet. "Thank you Joey."

"For what?"

"For being you."

"And here I was thinking you loved me more when I played," she leaves it hanging in the air as she starts to walk away from Charlie.

Flushing at the memory of some of their role-playing trysts, Charlie hurries after her wife.

* * *

><p>Bianca had hovered by the door for a bit, before a call of nature and remnants of her hangover had sent her to the bathroom. Returning a short time later, she wasn't at all surprised to find Georgie alone and her parents gone. Maybe she was being unfair on Georgie's parents, she had only just met them during a stressful time after all, but from Jack's comments and having met such parents at school, she had a feeling she wouldn't be a fan of them, ever.<p>

She glanced down the corridor in both directions. It was supposed to be family only in the room, but seeing no one around, Bianca took the chance to duck into the room.

"Oh god Georgie," she whispers as she stands by her bed. She was glad Charlie had talked her into coming here but seeing her friend like this, was giving her second thoughts about it. Taking a deep breath, she picks up one of Georgie's hands and squeezes gently. "It's time you stopped sleeping Georgie and woke up."

Hearing footsteps approaching, she leans down. "I love you Georgie," she whispers as she presses her lips to her forehead. She jumps when one of the machines starts to beep loudly. "Doctor!" she shouts out in panic.


	30. Chapter 30

**…2007**

Joey was amazed at how what she had once regarded as her prison, had come to bring her such joy and the last three weeks since they'd declared their love for each other had been the most wonderful three weeks of her life. She just loved kissing Charlie, whether it was stealing a quick kiss when no one was looking or an all-consuming passionate kiss that left them both breathless, she didn't care, they were all wonderful.

While she didn't exactly enjoy the lying involved in keeping their relationship a secret, she had to admit that the danger of being caught added a certain thrill to things, though it was getting harder with each passing day and they were both growing more reckless. Only yesterday they'd come close to discovery when Nick had forgotten something and so had returned home unexpectedly and nearly caught them making out on the couch. They'd been so lost in each other, they hadn't even heard the key in the door and if Nick hadn't called out it was "Just me, I forgot something," he'd have walked in and found Joey lying on top of Charlie, locked in a passionate kiss. As it was, Joey had barely managed to jump off Charlie and sit at the other end of the couch, just moments before Nick had walked into the room. Luckily for them, Nick had been in a hurry and so hadn't really looked at them to notice their flushed appearance and heavy breathing. The moment he was back out the door, they'd burst into laughter, more in relief than anything and they'd settle on watching a movie, not daring to push their luck for a second time.

As for their relationship, well, so far, things hadn't progressed beyond kissing and some touching as Charlie let Joey set the pace, which for the moment, had been slow and steady. Joey smiled. Her girlfriend, she loved calling Charlie that, had been wonderfully understanding of her apprehension about becoming more intimate and she had to admire Charlie's strength, because she must feel like she was a snail miles from the finishing line, Joey mused. It was still all so new and exciting to her and for the first time since that nightmare all those years ago, she was becoming comfortable with someone touching her a little more intimately. Joey blushed. She'd become more than just comfortable with the intimacy. She could now lie in Charlie's arms in just her bra and her pants unbuckled but still up and she loved the way Charlie would tenderly cup her bra-clad breasts, the way her thumb would playfully flick her nipples through the thin material and send a shiver of pleasure all the way down to between her legs.

She shuddered. Just the thought of Charlie touching her like that brought a certain thrill to her and for the past couple of days, every time she was with her girlfriend, she felt ready to take their relationship to the next level.

Joey smiles as she feels the now familiar arms wrapping around her waist from behind and lips on her neck. She leans back against Charlie, revelling in the closeness. "I didn't hear you come in."

"I think a stampede of elephants would have failed to get your attention. What were you so lost in thought with?"

Joey turns in her arms. "Us."

"I like those thoughts already." Charlie had never had a relationship like the one she had with Joey. Usually she'd end up in bed with a woman relatively quickly, then they'd get to know each other more after they'd already had sex, that is if they decided to see each other again, but with Joey, it was completely different and while she felt so wound up at times that she thought she'd burst, she never dreamt of pushing Joey for sex and loved the kissing and gentle caresses they already shared, as it somehow made what they had together all the more special.

"Charlie," Joey begins, before pausing and looking nervously at where their bodies were touching.

Charlie puts her hand under her chin and gently tilts it up. "What is it?"

Seeing the love and concern in her girlfriend's eyes made Joey momentarily forget what she was going to say.

"Joey?"

Taking a deep breath, Joey looks more deeply into her eyes, drawing confidence from the love that looked back at her. "Charlie, I'm ready."

"Ready for what?"

"I want us to make love," Joey says more confidently. She had become better at reading Charlie and was pleased to see the spark of excitement and hope in Charlie's eyes.

"Are you sure?" Charlie asks after a little hesitation. She wanted nothing more than to make love to her girlfriend, but she didn't want to come on too strong or obvious in that need.

"I love you Charlie and I'm ready and I know this is what you want to."

"I'd be lying if I said I didn't want to make love to you, I just need to be sure that this is what you truly want as well and that you're not doing this just because you think it's what I need."

"Charlie, you've been so wonderful with your patience and letting me set the pace, it makes me love you even more and I'm at a place now that I never thought I'd ever get to," she pulls Charlie even closer to her. "I love being in your arms, I love the way you kiss me and touch me and now I want more."

"I want that too Joey, just promise me though, that if you start to feel differently and you realise you're not quite ready, then tell me and I'll gladly wait until you are."

"For how long though?"

Charlie runs the back of her fingers softly down Joey's cheek. "I've waited forever to meet someone like you and I want your first time to be special, so I will wait as long as necessary."

"I promise you Charlie, there is no way I'd be able to go through with something so intimate unless it was what I truly desired."

She cups Joey's face in her hands and gazes into her eyes with an intensity that made Joey feel as if she was reading her very soul. "I love you Joey and I want to make love to you."

"Now?" Joey squeaks, her desire and need temporarily robbing her of her power of speech. She coughs, making Charlie smile at her. "Now?" she says in a firmer voice.

"Only if you don't mind an audience." Charlie glances at her watch. "I'm guessing we have a few minutes before Ruby comes barging in."

Joey chuckles and cuddles against Charlie's chest. "I'd prefer that my first time was just the two of us."

"I'm hoping all our times will be just the two of us," Charlie quips. "It's going to be fun trying to make that happen though."

"We've found ways to get some time alone."

"Your first time isn't going to be some quickie," Charlie assures her. "When we make love, I intend to show you just how intimate and special it can be and I'm not going to rush that."

"Can you not look like you want to eat me when you talk about making love," Joey requests, her face flushed with renewed desire.

"I can't help it, you make me feel so much Joey."

"How about a quickie before Ruby barges in?" pleads Joey.

"Joey, no quickies."

"I was talking about a kiss."

"Oh, in that case," she presses her lips firmly against Joey's.

Coming up for air, Charlie grins and rests her forehead against Joey's when barely thirty seconds after they'd started to kiss, they could hear a fast approaching Ruby. It was like clockwork at times with the way they were interrupted.

"Ruby, no running in the house," Joey calls out as she steps away from Charlie just as Ruby bursts into the room.

"I'm busting mum," she yells on her way past to the bathroom.

Joey and Charlie grin at each other when the door slams. "In that case, I think we can squeeze," Joey's words are cut off by Charlie's lips.


	31. Chapter 31

**…2012**

_Hearing footsteps approaching, she leans down. "I love you Georgie," she whispers as she presses her lips to her forehead. She jumps when one of the machines starts to beep loudly. "Doctor!" she shouts out in panic._

Sid comes rushing into the room within moments of Bianca's panicked shout.

"What's going on with her?" demands a frantic Bianca.

Sid looks at the machine and then leans over Georgie and opens her eyelids to shine his light in. "She's coming to," he finally replies. "I need to run some more tests, so could you step out and maybe call her husband, let him know."

"Of course." With her heart racing with renewed hope, she rushes out the door and cannons into Joey.

"Oof," Joey mutters as she's sent flying backwards and into the arms of her wife. "Nice catch," she grins up at her.

"Always happy to oblige," Charlie replies, helping her wife get her balance back.

"I'm so sorry Joey," Bianca says excitedly, "It's just that Georgie's waking up and I was going to call Jack and let him know."

"That's wonderful news," Joey says, her stomach rumbling.

Chuckling, Charlie wraps her arms around her from behind. Before going to get something to eat, they'd decided to stop by and see if Bianca wanted something, so the beast, otherwise known as Joey's stomach, was still complaining.

"Why don't I go call Jack and then I'll duck down to the canteen and get us all some coffees and food before Joey wakes everyone up with her stomach," Charlie suggests.

"That'd be great," Bianca says. She really didn't want to be too far away from her friend just now.

Glancing around, Charlie frowns. "Where are Georgie's parents?"

"Gone," Bianca says with a disapproving tone. "Don't ask me where, they were just gone when I got back from the bathroom."

"Well, maybe Jack can call them if that's what he wants," suggests Charlie, though the three of them were all thinking the same thing, that Georgie might be better off without them around. "I won't be long," she says, pausing by the door for a moment to check in on her friend, before heading off.

"So what happened?" Joey asks as they move out of the way of the medical staff coming and going from their friend's room.

"I snuck in to see her and she started to wake up," Bianca says in a low voice. "At first I thought the machine beeping like that was a bad sign, so I kind of panicked, but then Sid said she was starting to come to."

Joey looks at her friend, sensing there was more to it and under that gaze, the words tumble from Bianca's mouth. "Ok, so I told her I loved her and kissed her."

"Bianca!"

"Relax, it was before the beeping started so she couldn't have heard me and I only kissed her on the forehead, so no harm done."

"It's not Georgie I'm worried about right now, it's you. I just don't want to see you hurt."

"I'm in love with a married woman Joey, there's no way to avoid not being hurt." Joey put her arm around her friend's waist. "I'm going to be fine Joey. I know where I stand and I'm not going to do anything dumb."

"Sometimes I think love is cruel with who it makes you fall in love with."

"Especially when you know you've lost before even starting."

"You'll find someone else."

"Yeah, maybe."

* * *

><p>Twenty minutes later, Charlie and Joey were standing with Bianca when Jack came running toward them with Romeo. "Is she awake?" he asks.<p>

"Sid is still running some tests, but he did say that she was coming to when I called him in," answers Bianca.

"You were with her?"

"I didn't want her to be alone."

"Shit," he mutters, rubbing his brow. "I knew I shouldn't have left when it was her parents with her." He glances down at his son who was desperate to see him mum and decided now wasn't the time to launch into a tirade about his in-laws.

They all look on expectantly when Sid walks toward them. Joey squeezes her wife's hand as they wait for him to say something.

"She's awake."

There was an audible sigh of relief by everyone there. "Can I see mummy now?" asks Romeo.

"In a moment, Romeo. Now, I've explained her injuries to her, but she's still incredibly weak and in pain, so try to keep things quiet and don't let her tax herself too much."

* * *

><p>After visiting his wife for a short time, Jack came over to where Joey and Charlie were sitting. "Charlie, could you please talk to her and tell her that it was an accident? I keep telling her she wasn't to blame but I think she needs to hear it from someone who was there."<p>

"Of course I'll tell her but is she up to it now?"

"She's going to work herself up into a state so I think now is best."

"Ok." She gets a reassuring squeeze of the hand from Joey. "Thanks baby," she whispers.

* * *

><p>Approaching the bed a little apprehensively, Charlie smiles down at her friend when she sees Georgie's eyes watching her. She could see the pain in those eyes but it was such a relief to see them open. "I'm glad to see you're awake."<p>

"Nice to be awake. I'm sorry, Charlie." Her voice was barely more than a croak and Charlie had to lean in close to hear.

"You have nothing to apologise for."

"I crashed the car."

"It was an accident. Georgie, how much do you actually remember about what happened?"

"It's a bit hazy, but I remember that I was driving and we were going fast and I guess I must have lost control of the car."

"We were chasing a speeding driver, but things were getting too dangerous, so I asked you to abandon pursuit."

"Then it was my fault we crashed," she interrupted.

"No Georgie. The tyre blew out before you could slow down and that was why we crashed. No one was to blame for what happened, Georgie."

"You don't have to say that Charlie if you're just trying to make me feel better about causing the accident."

Mindful of Georgie's self-doubt and her own period of blaming herself, Charlie sits on the edge of the bed and takes Georgie's hand in hers. "Once the tyre blew, you had no hope of preventing the accident, especially on a slippery, unsealed road. It was an accident Georgie," she said more firmly. "And that is exactly what the road traffic investigation team has declared."

"Really?"

"Really and if you want further proof, I'll have Joey come in here and tell you how I blamed myself for the accident and for walking away so lightly and how she kept pestering me until I realised I had nothing to feel guilty about."

"You blamed yourself?" Georgie says in surprise.

"I was senior officer and the pursuit was my call, but as Joey and others have kept telling me, it was an accident, no one was at fault, though if you do want to blame someone, blame the idiot we were chasing."

Georgie nods, then regrets it when the pounding in her head makes her wince.

"Are you ok?" Charlie asks in concern.

"I feel like I'm suffering from all my hangovers at once."

"Ouch," Charlie says in sympathy.

"That's putting it mildly."

"I'll let you get some rest."

"Romeo said my parents were here earlier and that they didn't stick around," Georgie says before Charlie could leave. Seeing the uncomfortable look on Charlie's face, Georgie smiles slightly. "It's ok, I wouldn't expect anything more from them and the only reason they would have come was because of appearance. I mean, how would it look to their friends if they found out they never went to their daughter's bedside when she was close to death."

The bitterness in her voice clutched at Charlie's heart. Her father was absent a lot of her childhood due to work, especially after her parents split because of his dedication to his career, but despite that, she was never in any doubt that he loved her and supported her and her mother was absolutely wonderful with the unconditional love she provided. She doubted she would have become the woman she was today without their influence. Of course, Joey also had a large say in who she was now but she always knew she was loved and so really felt for her friend to have grown up in an environment where you got no such support, where you were made to feel like a burden and that love seemed to be conditional on you pleasing them.

"I hope they weren't too rude to you and the others," Georgie says.

"They were upset."

"No, that's just them."

"Georgie, you really need to take it easy and get some rest."

"In other words, don't dwell on things."

"Yeah, something like that. Everyone was so worried about you, especially Jack and Romeo, so it really is good to see you awake and we'd all like to see you up and out of here."

"Thanks for being there for them, Charlie and can you thank the others."

"Sure. Do you want me to send Jack back in?"

"I'm about to fall asleep, so Jack might as well take Romeo home and get some rest himself."

"I'll let him know. Get some rest Georgie and take things easy."

"I will." Georgie closes her eyes. She was so confused right now. Jack had seemed so concerned when he was in earlier and had promised her he'd be there with her every step of the way. It was almost like when he promised to be there for her when she told him she was pregnant, yet all she could think about was this nagging feeling that someone had been saying something important before she became aware of the beeping of the machines, she just couldn't make out the voice or the words or if she had just imagined the whole thing.

* * *

><p>After dropping Bianca off at her place and picking up Ruby, the Bucktons had headed home.<p>

"Can we have pizza tonight mum?" Ruby asks as she bounds up the stairs to her room.

"Sure, why not," agrees Joey as she joins her wife on the couch. "It feels more like a week has passed instead of just a couple of days."

"Tell me about it." She curls up with her head on Joey's lap. "At least now with Georgie out of danger, we can finally relax properly."

"For a day anyway, then you're back at work on Wednesday, Ruby's back at school on Thursday and I'm starting my new job next week. Charlie?"

"Yeah."

"Seeing as how tomorrow is our final day together before life intrudes once again, how about we make tomorrow a family day with just the three of us?"

"Sounds great as long as it includes a sleep in."

"You, sleep in?"

"I know, completely against the trend for me, especially as it would be two days in a row, but now that the stress of worry is over, I realise just how tiring it all was and it's catching up to me."

"I'll order tea now, then we can have an early night."

"We don't have to have it this early."

"Unless you intend to eat while you're asleep, I think it's best we have it early."

"Might be a good idea," Charlie murmurs, yawning loudly.

* * *

><p>Joey climbs into bed behind her wife. Their daughter was already asleep and it seemed her wife wasn't going to be far behind.<p>

Charlie sighs contentedly when her wife snuggles against her back and drapes her arm over her. "Love you baby," she mumbles, her eyes already heavy.

"Love you too." Joey kisses the side of her neck. "Sleep well," she says softly. She smiles when she hears the steady breathing that let her know her wife was already asleep.


	32. Chapter 32

**…2007**

As it was, Joey didn't have to wait too long for her wish to come true. Two days after declaring that she was ready to take their relationship to the next level, luck was finally on their side. Ruby had begged to be allowed to sleep over at Shannon's, a request Joey was only too happy to allow, especially when Nick had already informed them that he was going to be out late that night because he had a date. As they didn't know when they would have the house to themselves again, this evening was going to be the night and Joey's excitement and apprehension had grown with each drawn out hour of the day.

Now, sitting nervously on her bed as she waited for Charlie, she was still feeling a mixture of excitement and apprehension. Charlie was so experienced, what if she was a disappointment? "Don't be silly Joey," she chides herself. Charlie had been nothing but understanding and encouraging and she certainly wasn't going to judge her on her performance in bed. Joey watches the door as it opens and took a deep breath. It was time. She stood as Charlie walked toward her, the look in Charlie's eyes dispelling any doubts Joey may have had throughout the day.

Charlie stops in front of her beside the bed. She knew Joey was nervous about her first time, but she was nervous herself. Joey had come to mean so much to her and she didn't want to put a foot wrong. She raises her hand and tenderly caresses Joey's cheek. She also wanted to make this as special as she could for Joey. "If at any time you want to stop," her words are cut off by Joey's mouth.

"Wow," Charlie says a little breathlessly when Joey ended the kiss.

"I'm ready for this Charlie."

Smiling, Charlie presses her lips to hers, her hands working on the buttons of her shirt. Joey shivered, part from the coolish air and part from anticipation as her shirt slid slowly from her shoulders.

"You are so beautiful," Charlie murmurs against her lips as she backs Joey against the bed and laid her gently onto her back. She hurriedly dispensed with her own shirt and moved over Joey, kissing her lips, her chin, trailing gentle kisses to the hollow of her neck, smiling at Joey's sharp intake of breath as she paid attention to her breasts. She didn't want to rush this, wanting to savour this first time with Joey.

It was indescribable what she was feeling as Charlie gently sucked on her nipple through her bra, her hand squeezing the other in a rhythm that was sending jolts of passion through her. "Oh god," she groans when Charlie sits up and quickly parted with her own bra, tossing it carelessly aside.

The look of amazement and hunger as Joey gazed at her bare breasts sent a shiver of excitement through Charlie. No one had ever made her feel like this with just a look and she gasped when Joey reached up with slightly shaking hands and cupped her breasts.

The fleshy globes filled her hands perfectly and Joey was surprised by how hard the nipples felt against her palm.

"Jesus Joey," Charlie panted. Maybe it was finally reaching this place after weeks of just kissing with a little touching, but she felt about ready to burst just with the way Joey was touching her breasts.

Going on instinct, Joey leant up and flicked her tongue over one of the nipples. Liking the way Charlie rewarded her with a moan of pleasure, she repeated the action on the other, this time sucking it gently between her lips.

"Fuck yeah," Charlie murmured, the pleasure in her breasts spearing all the way through her and she could feel herself getting wetter by the second.

Joey pulled back and glanced up. Charlie had her chest thrust out, her head back and eyes closed. She was the most beautiful woman she'd ever seen.

At the loss of contact, Charlie opens her eyes and fell even deeper into Joey's. She captured her lips in a passionate kiss, their breasts crushing together. The feel of Charlie's hardened nipples as they now moved against hers through the thin barrier of her bra was amazing, her own nipples almost painful as they pressed against the confining restraints of her bra.

Both women were gasping for breath when the kiss broke, their chests heaving. "Joey?" Charlie's softly spoken enquiry had Joey smiling and unclasping her own bra. Without any fear or embarrassment, she let Charlie see her.

"I was right, you are so beautiful," Charlie says, pushing Joey gently back again and retracing the path she'd started earlier.

If it was indescribable when Charlie was sucking on her nipple through her bra, it was even more wondrous when there was no barrier and her nipples were engulfed within the loving warmth of Charlie's mouth. She marvelled at Charlie's touch, which was soft, tender and sensuous and was sending a thrill through her body that made her heart race.

Joey's reactions to her touch was driving her insane, the way her skin fluttered against just the slightest of touches, the way she moaned as she explored her body with her soft lips. Coming to the waistband of her pants, Charlie pauses a moment, before sliding the pants slowly down Joey's legs, then her panties followed until Joey was completely naked before her.

Instead of feeling exposed under the admiring gaze of her girlfriend, Joey felt only desire. Charlie moves back up and captures Joey's lips in a tender kiss before holding Joey's eyes with hers. Letting her fingers brush lightly over Joey's skin, she paused briefly to tease her nipples, before going lower.

"Oh god," Joey moans when Charlie's hand finds its way between her legs, gently teasing her with her fingers. She couldn't believe this was happening, that she was making love for the first time or that it was even possible to feel something so wonderful. She could feel Charlie lightly coaxing her legs wider and she allowed them to fall open and then Charlie stopped. Joey gazes into those blue pools filled with love and desire and unable to find her voice, she nods, giving Charlie permission to take that final step.

The trust Joey was showing in her made Charlie's heart swell. "I love you Joey," she whispers. Keeping her eyes on Joey's, Charlie lowers her lips to hers, her tongue entering her mouth at the moment her fingers glided through the silky wetness and entered her for the first time, pausing when Joey tenses, before beginning the gentle thrusts when she feels Joey relaxing against her.

So overcome with emotions and indescribable feelings, it didn't take long for Joey to gasp her climax into Charlie's mouth. She expected it to be all over so she was pleasantly surprised when Charlie's continued to thrust into her and she felt her body responding yet again, her hips now taking on a life of their own as she thrust against her girlfriend's questing fingers, wanting her deeper.

Charlie added another finger, her thumb flicking Joey's clit with every thrust. Joey's moans were getting louder, her hips bucking frantically against her fingers. Wanting to hear her this time, Charlie leant back, watching Joey's face while she continued to thrust gently inside her.

"Oh Charlie," Joey cried out, her body arching off the bed and spasming around Charlie's fingers, trapping her inside. She fell back flat on the bed, breathing heavily, her eyes closed. She moaned when Charlie gently removed her fingers, leaving her feeling both empty and incredibly fulfilled.

Opening her eyes, Joey turns her head when she felt Charlie lying down next to her. "Thank you," Joey says softly. "For showing me how wonderful making love really is." And for dispelling the nightmares of the past, she added silently.

Charlie smiles and kisses her gently. "I wanted it to be special for you."

"It was and I don't think I'll ever forget one moment of it." She grins cheekily. "Can we do it again now?"

Laughing, Charlie nods. "We can do this as many times as you'd like."

"Ooh, I like the sound of that." She surprises Charlie by pushing her onto her back and straddling her waist. "I'm going to have to go by feel here," she explains as her hands move all over Charlie's body.

Charlie was on fire. Joey really did have a gentle touch, but it was like she was burning a path across her naked skin and she knew it wouldn't take her long to…she groans in frustration when there's banging on the front door. "You have got to be fucking kidding me."

Joey chuckles, then frowns. "Does that sound like the door opening?"

They stare at each other as they try to listen. "Only Nick has a key."

"MUM!" And Ruby.

"Oh shit, Ruby's home."

"What's she doing here?" Charlie asks as she bounces off the bed. "Where's my bra?" she cries out in a panic.

Joey couldn't help it, the way her hapless girlfriend was tearing the room apart looking for her bra was too much.

"Can we leave the laughter to later," she says.

"Just go braless under your top," Joey suggests as she dresses. She wasn't sure where her own bra and panties ended up and she was in too much of a hurry to get some fresh ones out of the drawer, so she was going commando.

"Good idea." Charlie looks around. "Where's my top?"

"Um?" Like Charlie, Joey couldn't see it anywhere.

"Where the fuck are my clothes?" Charlie mutters in frustration.

"Here," Joey tosses her one of her own tops. "Put that on."

Charlie slips it on, while telling Joey to go and see what Ruby wanted and she'd sneak out behind her a minute or so later.

Waiting by the door, Charlie noticed her discarded shirt lying under the chair in the corner.

* * *

><p>"Sorry to come over unexpectedly," Shannon says, "But Ruby wasn't feeling well and wanted to come home."<p>

"I feel sick mummy." Ruby looked so pitiful, Joey bent and picked her up, hugging her to her and kissing her cheek, just as Charlie joins them.

"Hey guys," she says as casually as possible. "Are you not feeling well Ruby?" Ruby shakes her head. "That's not good."

"Now I am sorry I interrupted," Shannon says with a smirk as she finally takes in their dishevelled appearance.

Joey blushes furiously. "Thanks for bringing Ruby home, I'm going to go put her to bed," she says, all but rushing from the room.

"Wow, you guys really have no luck with timing."

"We had some luck," Charlie replies.

"Oh and how much?"

Charlie grins and shakes her head. "Never you mind."

"Oh, that much," Shannon replies with an even bigger grin. "I really am sorry for crashing your evening."

"It can't be helped if Ruby's sick."

"I'm happy to have Ruby again if you feel the need."

"It's more whether Nick feels the need," mutters Charlie. "But until we're finally free to be together, Joey and I just have to take whatever time we can get."

"Just let me know if I can help out."

"Thanks Shannon."

"Say bye to Joey for me."

"Will do."

* * *

><p>By the time Joey had put Ruby to bed and stayed with her until she fell asleep, Nick was due home at any minute so their amazing evening had come to an abrupt end.<p>

"Are you ok?" Joey asks as she snuggles against Charlie on the couch.

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"Because we kind of got interrupted before, you know, you didn't, um, get to, um," she waves her hands in embarrassment.

"I'm fine and this evening was about you Joey."

"Well the next time will be about you."

Their lips had barely met when the lights from a car pulling into the driveway told them Nick was home. They both chuckle. Their life had come down to sneaking around and stealing what time they could, but they were together and they were happy and other than wanting more time alone, they really couldn't ask for much more right now.


	33. Chapter 33

**…2012**

Charlie smiles as she senses her wife behind her, moments before her arms wrap around her waist.

"Morning," Joey greets her. "I should be doing that while you have your brekkie."

"Joey, I'm a Snr Constable, so I think I can manage to make a couple of sangas for lunch and have brekkie without managing to be late."

"Are you sure you're ready to return?"

"I'm fine Joey and yesterday was just the tonic I needed."

Yesterday, they'd stuck to their plan of having a family day with just the three off them and Charlie had loved every second of it, even though they did little more than sit and play board games or watched dvds.

She grins when she feels Joey's lips on her neck. "No distracting me to make me late today." Charlie turns in Joey's arms, hooking her own around her back.

"You still look like you've been in a fight."

"Unfortunately bruises don't just miraculous disappear but at least I don't really feel them anymore and I'm no longer stiff."

"I do love my Charlie all loose and well."

"Hey, no distracting me, remember," Charlie says, pressing her lips to her wife's.

"What was that about no distracting you?" Joey murmurs back.

"Thanks for the reminder." She rests her forehead against Joey's. "You will forever be my distraction though."

"And you, mine." Their lips meeting again.

"Eww," Ruby says as she walks into the kitchen.

Breaking the kiss, the mums face their daughter who was often rolling her eyes at their sappiness, as she put it. "Just you wait Ruby," Joey says.

"I'm never dating mum," she replies firmly.

Charlie and Joey share a smile. Neither of them were looking forward to their daughter discovering boys, or even girls, but they knew it was something that was going to happen eventually, despite Ruby's current disgust at the thought of anyone kissing her on the lips.

"So, what are my two favourite girls in the whole wide world up to today while I'm off keeping it safe for you?" asks Charlie.

"Ruby and I have to pick up a few last minute items for school tomorrow."

At Ruby's heavy sigh and downcast look, Charlie walks over to her daughter and squats down beside the chair. "I thought you liked school Ruby."

"I do but this is a new school."

"You know, I was a little nervous myself when I started work here."

"Really?"

"It's perfectly natural to feel that way in a new place, especially when it's a little different to what you are used to. This station is much smaller than I usually work in, things are done a little differently and more people know who I am here and approach me in the street, just for a chat, so it's opening up a whole new chapter in my career, one I'm enjoying very much."

"Except for your accident," Ruby points out.

"Except for that. Ruby, I know starting anew is a little scary but you've already made some friends, so you won't be alone in this."

"I 'spose."

"You'll be fine Ruby and your mum and I are here for you, so is your dad and you know you can go to Miss Scott if you're feeling overwhelmed or just need to talk to someone."

Ruby nods, feeling much better. Charlie leans over and kisses her daughter's temple.

"How about you both tuck into your brekkies while I finish off Charlie's lunch," suggests Joey.

"Yes mum," Charlie and Ruby say together, breaking into giggles when they do.

Rolling her eyes, Joey smiles as she turns to her task. Her family was continually giving her joy and it made her feel extremely lucky.

* * *

><p>Having barely made it to work on time after another little distraction from her very distracting wife, Charlie was now sitting opposite Peter in his office.<p>

"Jack's taken leave for the next few days and he'll likely need more time off when Georgie is finally released from hospital, so you'll be assigned a new patrol partner, one who is on loan from Area Command while we're an officer down." Peter hands her a file.

"Const. Shauna Bradley," Charlie says aloud as she reads through the file.

"She's a fairly new recruit, so she's rather green and there's also a chance of her being permanently assigned here."

"You don't sound happy about that?"

"It's not so much Const. Bradley as her mother, Ailsa Hogan. She's from around these parts and is back in town to take over the family's general store and she's applied to open part of it up as a café."

"Ah, competition for Leah."

"Yeah. Leah's not worried, because she has a fairly loyal clientele, but I'm worried that she will try to overdo things to keep her customers happy and she already works too hard."

"Joey and I can always kidnap her and make her relax and have fun."

Peter chuckles. "She did love her overnight stay in the city, despite it taking some time to recover from it."

"Fun will do that to you. When does Bradley arrive?"

"Later this afternoon. I hate to ask this, especially as it's your first day back, but you are the senior officer under me and I always like to assign newbies this green to more experienced officers."

"It's fine, I just hope I don't get lost showing her around."

"From what I've heard, you've picked up the lay of the land fairly quickly."

"The main roads and routes, but there's so many back roads, off shoots and short cuts that aren't on the maps."

"Just stick to the main roads and call in for directions if you're ever unsure."

"And avoid being too reliant on the nav system in the cars," she adds.

They both grin at that reminder of the poor unfortunate Constable who ended up taking the Inspector at Area Command in totally the wrong direction. It wasn't his fault as there'd been a problem with the nav system, but making an Inspector late for an extremely important meeting wasn't something any of them would want to happen to them. Of course, that never stopped them laughing when it happened to someone else.

"Until Bradley arrives, why don't you ease your way back in and catch up on some paperwork," he suggests.

"Peter, I really am fine."

"I wouldn't let you work unless I believed you were, but there's no need to rush into things and it's fairly quiet at the moment, so just take things easy."

Charlie nods.

* * *

><p>Joey shakes her head at their children sitting alone at the table. "Do you understand even half of what they're saying?" she asks Leah when she was between customers.<p>

"Kids these days are like aliens to me at times and all that texting short hand, is like a foreign language."

"I don't have a problem with the texting, but Charlie's not so clued up on it and I often find myself translating her text messages to her."

"Glad I'm not the only one. Is Ruby all raring to go to school tomorrow?"

"She has a few nerves, being a new school and all."

"I'm sure once she starts, she'll settle right in."

"I hope so."

"Joey, are you worried about anything in particular?"

"There's always a couple of kids with parents who aren't so open minded about Ruby having two mums."

"Unfortunately, some people will never change their old attitudes."

"Yeah. Ruby usually handles it fine, because she sees us as a perfectly normal family who love each other, but I just don't like to see her hurt by someone else's narrow mindedness."

"Bianca will keep an eye on her and Gina's good at keeping things in check at the school."

Joey had only met the school principal a few times, but she'd been left with the impression that she wasn't a woman to be messed with and Georgie had said one other time, that her husband's aunt was quick to act against any bullying. Joey smiles wryly. "I guess I'm a little nervous myself about Ruby's first day."

"She'll be fine and so will you. Are you looking forward to starting your new job?"

"Yeah I am, especially now that the house is going to be so empty with Ruby at school."

* * *

><p>"Did you get the guy?"<p>

"Sorry?" replies Charlie. Shauna points to her face. "Oh, that's from the accident."

"Oh shit, I didn't realise you were in that accident. Is the other officer doing ok?"

"Georgie's out of danger and doing much better now."

"That's great news."

Charlie wasn't quite sure what to make of the young officer sitting in the passenger seat beside her, though excitable would be one word she'd use to describe her. Shauna had arrived at the station half an hour earlier, ready and raring to go and had barely stopped talking since. She was like Ruby when she was excited and talked so quickly she struggled to keep up with her. Charlie suspected it was in part due to nervousness at her new surroundings, but she had a feeling Shauna was one of those people who just had that type of personality. "How about we swing by the local diner for arvo tea and you can meet some of the locals."

"That'd be great."

"Your mum won't mind?"

"Drinking coffee with the opposition, you mean?"

"Yeah."

"Mum knows I support her but she doesn't expect me to only eat or drink at her place. It's not going to be a problem with the Sergeant, is it, seeing as how his wife owns the diner?"

"Of course not. Peter's a good boss who supports all his officers and keeps things professional."

"I'd heard that about him, but I was," she shrugs. "Sorry, I'm probably yabbering away and annoying you, I'm just a little nervous. I've always wanted to be a cop and now that I am, I just don't want to stuff it up."

"Do the job to the best of your abilities, learn to trust your instincts but also to listen to the advice of your fellow officers and if you're ever in doubt about something, don't be afraid to ask and I'm sure you'll do fine."

"Thanks Charlie." Shauna couldn't believe her luck. Her senior officer was gorgeous and for the rest of the day, she was going to be alone with her in the close confines of the car as they drove around town. It was too bad she was married though, not that that always meant anything. Most of the guys that cracked onto her had wedding bands on as did some of the women and that never stopped them wanting a bit on the side and with some guys, finding out she was a lesbian only seemed to turn them on even more. Now though, she had the perfect foil to such men; it was amazing how quickly they left her alone when she told them she was a cop. She glanced across at her new partner, a smile playing at her lips as she imagined what it would be like to spend a night having sex with someone as hot as Charlie.


	34. Chapter 34

**…2007**

Charlie tries not to smirk when Joey walks into the kitchen the next morning wearing a dreamy expression. She was still feeling a little wound up herself from their evening together, despite administering a bit of solo relief after she'd gone to bed. It had taken the edge off but it just wasn't the same as it could have been with Joey, had they not been interrupted.

Catching her girlfriend's gaze on her, Joey blushes. The previous evening had been an incredible experience for her and her dreams had been filled with repeat performances that had left her flushed and excited when she'd woken only a short time earlier.

Wiggling her brows suggestively at her, Charlie chuckles as Joey goes even redder. Handing Joey her morning coffee, she quickly brushes her lips over hers. "Good morning sweetheart," she says softly. "I hope you slept well."

"I slept amazingly well," Joey replies in a slightly husky voice, the image of her dreams still firmly in her mind. "Last night was amazing Charlie."

"The first of many," she promises softly.

"I don't know how I'm going to survive this though," admits Joey. "I can barely be in the same room as you because I want you so much."

"I feel the same." Charlie raises her hand to Joey's face, gently caressing her cheek. "It won't be long before we can be together like any other couple, no more sneaking around and we can spend the nights, even the days and mornings, making love."

"Won't we wear ourselves out if we're at it that much?" jokes Joey.

"Yeah, but what a way to do it." She leans in and presses her lips firmly to Joey's. "Until then, we'll find ways to be together, just like we have been," murmurs Charlie, kissing her girlfriend again.

Joey melted against her. She was totally lost in the kiss and completely and utterly lost in the feelings she had for the woman who had come to mean so much to her.

Charlie groans. Joey's lips were so soft against hers and they never failed to ignite her desire and considering they were standing in the kitchen where either Ruby or Nick could burst in on them at any moment, meant this probably was not the best time or place to be kissing, but she'd come to accept how hard it was to deny anything when it came to Joey; her gorgeous, soulful eyes continually got under her guard and drew her in, her smile melted her heart and her lips made her wish for so much more.

After last night's interruption, the sound of footsteps nearing had Charlie wondering if fate had it in for her with the way it waited for her desire to rise, only to then pour cold water onto her. Chuckling softly at their luck or lack thereof, the two lovebirds quickly part and try to act as nonchalantly as possible.

"Morning ladies," Nick greets them brightly. He'd been in a cheerful mood ever since he'd come home from his date and Charlie suspected they weren't the only ones who got some action last night. She just hoped he planned to get lucky more often as that meant she and Joey would have the house free, at least once they put Ruby to bed. "How is Ruby this morning?" Nick asks Joey.

"Better. I think she just did a little too much jumping around on top of too much junk food."

"Yep, from personal experience, that would do it." He grins at the look on Joey's face. "I wasn't born dressed in the uniform, you know, I was a little boy once and quite a mischievous one at that, if you believe my mum."

"Sorry, I'm just trying to imagine you as a little boy." She grabs a couple of slices of bread and puts it in the toaster, pressing it down. "Anyone want some toast while I'm here?"

"No thanks, I'll wait until after I'm back from my run," replies Nick.

"Charlie?"

"I'd love some toast."

Charlie suddenly felt like she was under a microscope with the way Nick glanced between her and Joey before he walked out of the kitchen.

"You ok Charlie?" asks Joey, a little concerned at the frown that appeared on her girlfriend's face all of a sudden.

Shaking herself from her thoughts, Charlie smiles at her. "I'm fine, my mind just wandered a bit," she tells Joey while silently telling herself that she had just imagined the pensive look from Nick.

* * *

><p>Two hours later, Charlie was working at the computer when Nick came into the room.<p>

"Charlie, do you take me for a fool?"

"I'm sorry?" Charlie replies. She was completely still, except for her heart, which was racing; she had hoped she'd just imagined that look this morning but now she dreaded where this conversation was heading.

"After the rocky start the two of you got off too, I was pleased when you started to get along better, but then I started to realise there was possibly more to it than just you two calling a truce for the sake of making life easier for all of us."

"Why haven't you said anything before now?"

"Frankly, I should have spoken to you as soon as I suspected there was something more going on, yet I held off in case I was completely off base, but after what I sensed between you two when I got home last night and again this morning, I can't hold my silence any longer." He crosses his arms across his chest as he glares at her. "Answer me honestly Charlie, are you sexually involved with Joey?"

Feeling guilty at their deception, Charlie could barely look him in the eye as she nodded. She should have known that someone with Nick's experience would pick up on even the slightest change in manner between her and Joey and she had just been fooling herself in thinking that they could get away with this. "Nick, all I can say is that it wasn't planned and it was certainly the last thing I ever expected to happen, especially after my first encounter with Joey, but somewhere along the way, things changed and before I knew it, I was falling for her," she admits.

"Charlie, you're not the first police officer that this has happened to," he says in an understanding tone. "And considering the amount of time you spend together under the same roof, it's not really surprising that your feelings have developed into something more, but you are a police officer Charlie and Joey is a witness who you've been charged with protecting, so regardless of your feelings, you should have kept things professional, at least until after the trial." Nick sighs, "And now because you couldn't keep your pants on, you've compromised not just the case and your career, but you've placed me in an extremely difficult position."

"What do you plan to do?" she asks in a small voice.

"You've shown poor judgement Charlie and committed a serious breach of protocol, one that should be reported."

"Please don't say anything to anyone Nick," begged Charlie. She didn't care if she sounded desperate because she was; Nick held her future in the Force and with Joey in his hands. "I'll take full responsibility if we're caught out," she assures him. "But please, don't say anything before the trial because they'll keep us apart and neither of us could bare that. Joey needs me and I need her. Please Nick, keep this between us."


	35. Chapter 35

**…2012**

Joey's eyes narrow when she spies her wife and another officer talking to a man and woman just outside the diner. Her wife had called earlier to say she was getting a new partner today and there she was, standing next to her wife. "I already don't like her," complains Joey.

Leah follows Joey's line of sight and chuckles. "You don't even know her."

"She's gorgeous, she looks hot in a uniform and she's gay."

"How can you tell she's gay from here?"

"Just look at the way her eyes are always shifting sideways toward Charlie."

"You can't even see her eyes behind the sunnies she's wearing, Joey."

"I'm imagining it, ok."

"Well, I don't think you have anything to worry about. Charlie is totally devoted to you."

"I trust Charlie completely, it's the other women I don't always trust," Joey explains. "There was one time when we were out at a party with friends and this woman just came up and flirted with Charlie like I wasn't even there."

"I bet Charlie hardly noticed her though."

"She didn't and when the woman persisted, Charlie made it quite clear to her that she was very happily taken, but I just hate how these women see Charlie with me and believe we're either only just friends or they can offer Charlie more than I can."

"If they believe that, then they're not seeing the truth or choosing to ignore it because anyone with their eyes open can see that Charlie is yours in every way."

"I guess I can't really blame them for looking though, when my wife is so hot." Joey eyes off the other woman again. "But why does she have to look so hot in that uniform when I look like a Smurf when I wear Charlie's?"

"You wear Charlie's uniform?" asks a bemused Leah. "Just for fun is it?"

Blushing bright red as her mind brought up images of the real reason she dressed up as a cop, Joey mumbles about always being curious to see if the uniform gave her the same aura of confidence and pride it gave to Charlie.

"Curiosity, huh?" Leah smirks. "Did you try the handcuffs on Charlie as well, just out of curiosity?"

"Oh god," Joey buries her flaming face in her hands. "Don't tell Charlie I said anything."

"Your secret is safe with me."

Bianca's arrival saves her from any more embarrassment. "Coffee, strong and something very sweet, please," Bianca says as she takes the seat next to Joey.

"Hard day?" asks Joey.

"With school back tomorrow, I've spent most of the day getting things ready." She takes a sip of the coffee the moment Leah sets it down in front of her, sighing happily.

Joey grins. "Just wait until the kiddies are back."

"Them I can handle, it's all the preparation and marking involved that gets a bit much at times."

"You could save yourself a lot of work and earn every parent's gratitude by not giving them homework," suggests Leah. "Half the time I'm not sure if I'm helping VJ or showing him the wrong way, especially with some subjects."

"Alas, homework is here to stay." Biting into the pastry, Bianca groans in bliss, savouring the sweetness.

"That's what I like to hear from my customers."

Bianca salutes her with the pastry. "Keep cooking like this and I'll love you forever."

"My heart is already taken, I'm afraid."

"Oh well, I'll have to settle for another one of these then."

"Coming right up."

"Have you been by to see Georgie again since she woke?" asks Joey when Leah steps away to get Bianca's pastry and deal with another customer.

"I stopped by yesterday," she lies, "But she was sleeping and I haven't had a chance to drop by the hospital today."

"I saw her earlier, she's doing a lot better and I'm sure she'd like to see another friendly face."

"I don't think I can make it in there today, but I'll try tomorrow after school."

Joey leans in close, keeping her voice low. "You're not avoiding her, are you?"

"Nah, like I said before, things are just a bit hectic at the moment. Wow, who's the newbie with Charlie?" she says, distracting Joey from her questions for the truth was, she was trying to avoid the hospital as she was a little scared about visiting Georgie and having her real feelings for her become known.

"The Smurfette is Const. Shauna Bradley," Joey mutters.

Bianca raises her brow to Leah who had just returned with the pastry.

"Joey's not a big fan of her wife's new partner," Leah informs her.

"Why, what's wrong with her?"

"Don't know, we haven't actually met her yet,"

"Ahh," she nods her head knowingly. Bianca knew Joey had nothing to worry about where her wife was concerned but she could see where she was coming from; if she had someone who spent all day with a woman who looked like Shauna, she was sure the green-eyed monster would make an appearance, no matter how much faith she had in her girlfriend.

"Hey guys," Charlie says, moments before her lips were occupied by her wife's. A little breathless after the kiss ended, Charlie wraps her arms around her waist, not having missed the way Joey had been appraising Shauna as they neared. "You're all I have ever wanted and needed," she whispers, earning a beaming smile from her wife.

"I do know that and I know I'm being a bit silly, but I just don't want her getting ideas and making a fool of herself."

"With a greeting like that, I think she'll get the hint."

Joey raises her hand to Charlie's face. "You look a little tired," she says with some concern.

"I'm fine but I am looking forward to the end of shift and curling up on the couch with you."

"Damn," Shauna thought. The wife was cute and the way Charlie's face lit up when she saw her was enough to tell her she didn't stand a chance, not that she had seriously considered cracking onto Charlie. Fantasising was one thing, but Charlie was married and it wasn't always a good idea to mix work with personal stuff anyway, especially if she ended up with a permanent posting to Yabbie Creek. The blonde behind her though had possibilities and she saw no sign of a ring on her finger and going by the look she was giving her, she was in with a shot. She had been a little worried that in coming to a small town, there wouldn't be much in the way of lesbians, but it seemed she needn't have worried after all.

"Shauna." Charlie's voice breaks through her thoughts. "I'd like you to meet my wife, Joey and this is Leah, Peter's wife and our friend, Bianca."

"Nice to meet you all."

Once all greetings were out of the way, Charlie looks around the diner. "Where's Ruby?"

"Getting up to mischief with Irene and VJ in the kitchen," replies Joey.

"Oh no, she's not making a cake, is she?"

"There's nothing wrong with her cakes, Charlie," Joey points out. "They're always tasty."

"And they always end up all over the kitchen," Charlie reminds her. "Every time she makes a cake, we're finding cake mix in all sorts of places for days."

"Yeah, I saw that for myself," remarks Bianca. "That was the first time I think I've ever cleaned cake off the ceiling."

"The ceiling?" Leah says, glancing up at hers.

"I'm sure it will be fine," Joey assures her.

"I hope so, though, having cake stain on the walls could be a good excuse to repaint," Leah jokes.

"Repaint it with cake mix and have it as a selling point for the diner, 'Come eat here where even the walls are edible'," suggests Joey.

"Can you imagine the kiddie invasion if I did that?"

"Bugger the kids, I'd be in on edible walls myself," Bianca says with a grin.

"It's still a no." Leah turns her focus on the new constable. "You're Ailsa Hogan's daughter, aren't you?"

"Yes," Shauna says with some wariness. The last thing she needed was for her boss' wife to have a problem with her. Charlie had said that the Sergeant keeps things professional, but she would rather not test that out.

"You can relax, I'm not going to eat you," jokes Leah.

"Sorry, it's just that mum was always talking about small towns and people being loyal and sticking together."

"Look, most businesses around here have competition, the diner is no different and I certainly don't begrudge someone wanting to make their business more profitable." Shauna smiles in relief. "I think I remember your mother, though not very well as she left town when I was quite young."

Yeah, run out of town by her parents because she was pregnant to some guy who wouldn't take responsibility, Shauna said to herself. Her mum had been stunned to have been left the business after the way her parents had disowned her.

"We should probably be getting back to work," says Charlie.

Joey brushes her lips over hers. "Try to take it easy for the rest of the day."

"Barring emergencies or call outs, the rest of my day will be spent showing Shauna around." She nods toward Bianca. "Looks like Shauna has found a new interest."

Joey turns to see Bianca and Shauna chatting in quite a friendly way. Considering how her friend felt about a married woman, maybe a distraction like Shauna could be a good thing for Bianca, especially if it kept Shauna looking away from her wife.

"I'll see you later baby," murmurs Charlie, kissing her wife again.

"I'll have the couch ready and waiting for you or would you prefer a bubble bath when you get home?"

"Bubble bath for two," she immediately says.

"Done." Sharing another kiss, Charlie finally walks away.

"So when's the big date?" Leah asks Bianca once the two officers had left.

"We're meeting for dinner tonight," admits Bianca.

"Just remember you have school tomorrow," teases Joey.

"It's only dinner." Bianca rolls her eyes at the knowing grins on her friends' faces. "I have some work to finish off, so ladies, it's goodbye for now."

"And you need time to get ready for your big date," Joey says as Bianca makes a quick getaway.

"It's a good thing we're married and get to avoid the pitfalls of dating," says Leah.

"Pitfalls?"

"Yeah, the constant teasing from annoying friends like us."

Chuckling, Joey follows Leah into the kitchen to see what their little Masterchefs were up to.


	36. Chapter 36

**…2007**

_"Please don't say anything to anyone Nick," begged Charlie. She didn't care if she sounded desperate because she was; Nick held her future in the Force and with Joey in his hands. "I'll take full responsibility if we're caught out," she assures him. "But please, don't say anything before the trial because they'll keep us apart and neither of us could bare that. Joey needs me and I need her. Please Nick, keep this between us."_

"I don't know that I can Charlie. This isn't just about the impact this could have on the case or your career, it's also my butt on the line and what about Joey and Ruby when this is all finally over and you return to normal duties, what happens then?"

"Hopefully, we'll be together as a family."

Nick rocks back on his feet in surprise at Charlie's words.

"Joey is the type of woman I once avoided like the plague, because single mothers meant kids, but the Collins girls have a way of getting past your guard and," Charlie pauses, before looking Nick in the eyes. "They've well and truly gotten under my guard. Ruby is such a special little girl and so is her mum. I love them both and I'm very much in love with Joey, Nick and now I can't imagine my life without them in it."

Nick took a good look at the woman before him and he had to admit, as poor as Charlie's judgement has been, perhaps there was some good to come from this. Gone was the rather rigid and unsympathetic Constable who first arrived at the safe house, a woman, if he was to be brutally honest, he didn't believe would have made a good police officer, a fine administrator but definitely not an effective on-the-beat cop, now though, he could see in this woman before him, the potential not just to be a fine all-around officer, but one who has shown she can learn to be more compassionate and understanding when necessary. He sighs. He wished she had learned these things without letting herself fall in love though and as much potential as he now saw in Charlie, he wasn't sure he could just ignore her lapse in judgement. Cops relied on good judgement at all times and Charlie's was now compromised where Joey and Ruby were concerned.

"Nick?" Charlie asks a little nervously. She could see from his expression he was conflicted over what to do, at least she hoped he was conflicted and wasn't just trying to find the words to tell her he was going to report her.

"When I told you that you needed to learn to be more understanding and compassionate toward Joey, this isn't quite what I had in mind," he replies with a wry grin. "Are you sure this isn't just some fling that came about because you're spending so much time together?"

"It's so much more than a fling Nick," Charlie tells him in a confident voice. "And believe me, I didn't enter into this lightly. I weighed up the pros and cons to my career, to the case, hell, I even tried to convince myself that I was falling for her only because of our living arrangements, but dating other women just proved to me that it was Joey I wanted and as hard as I tried to hold back, my feelings for her were just too strong and it became impossible to deny them any longer. Nick, I really do love her."

"And you're willing to risk everything for her?"

"Yes," Charlie says without hesitation, surprising the both of them. It wasn't that long ago that her career meant everything to her, but now she saw it was just a job, a job she did love and hoped to keep, but at the end of the day, it was still just a job, while Joey offered her something she had never really dreamed of before, a family of her own and last night just made that all the more appealing. She may have been with plenty of women but none had even come close to moving her or making her feel the way Joey did and she wanted to feel that way forever. She did wonder though, what her father would say when it came time to show off her girlfriend and her daughter. Would he be upset at her for risking her career for a woman or would he just be happy that she chose to put love and family ahead of her career? She knew he always regretted putting work first and that it cost him his marriage so maybe he would be ok with her choice.

"I need time to think this through Charlie," Nick says after a short delay. Charlie tried not to feel too disappointed that he wouldn't tell her straight away and put her out of her misery, but as long as he was still thinking about it, then there was a chance he will keep silent, then again, he could easily go the other way and she and Joey would be forced apart until after the trial. She just wished she knew one way or the other. "I'll give you my answer later today," Nick says, before turning and leaving Charlie to her worrying.

* * *

><p>Joey sipped her drink while she and Shannon watched their kids play in the back yard.<p>

"Guess it's going to take some time to wipe that smile from your face," Shannon says with a smirk.

Blushing, Joey couldn't help the silly grin she knew was on her face, from getting bigger. "I'm just so happy right now."

"Gee, I never would have guessed that."

"Falling in love is the last thing I ever expected to happen to me, but now I see why people rave about it."

"And the sex is great too," adds Shannon, chuckling when Joey spits out the mouthful of drink she'd just taken. "Oh, my little babe in the woods, you have only just begun to learn the joys of being in love and having a loving, attentive and experienced lover."

"I just hope I'm enough for her," Joey says a little hesitantly.

"When I first met Charlie, this is the last thing I thought I'd ever be saying about a woman who acted like she had a giant stick up her arse."

"Shannon!"

"And that is, Charlie is actually an ok woman."

"She's more than ok."

Shannon grins at the defensive tone in Joey's voice. "I'm teasing Joey. She's crazy about you, so obviously she has her head screwed on right and the fact she's risking a lot to be with you, I think makes it a pretty safe bet she believes you're more than enough for her."

"I'm pretty lucky, aren't I?"

"Shit yeah. Not only is Charlie drop dead gorgeous, your daughter already loves her, so that's one hurdle you don't have to jump over."

"You speaking from experience?"

She nods. "Not everyone loves kids, especially when they're other people's kids, so finding someone who is happy to take on yours isn't always easy."

"You're a great lady Shannon and somewhere out there, is a woman waiting for you to steal her heart."

"Mandy was my first real love and I'm not sure if I'll ever really get over her enough to want to steal another heart."

"What would Mandy want you to do?"

"Move on." Shannon shrugs. "It's easier said than done though."

"Would I have met the criteria?"

"Yes and no. You're great with the kids, so that's a plus, but as attracted as I was to you, I never really felt that spark of passion and we we're always far better off as just friends, which no doubt pleased Charlie."

"Well, I'm certainly glad we're friends and like I said, there is someone out there for you."

Shannon just shrugs again, not too fussed just right now about finding someone.

* * *

><p>"Ruby, slow down," Joey calls out as her daughter rushes to the bathroom to clean herself up. Shaking her head at her daughter's sudden deafness to her voice, Joey goes in search of her girlfriend. Finding her standing in her bedroom, staring out the window, she walks up behind Charlie and wraps her arms around her waist, planting a kiss on the back of her shoulder.<p>

Charlie leans back against her, marvelling at how comfortable it felt in Joey's arms, despite her inner turmoil.

"What's wrong?" Joey asks, worried about her girlfriend's silence.

"Nick knows about us."

"What!"

Charlie turns in her arms and links hers around her. "Joey, it's going to be ok."

"What's he going to do?"

Hating the slight quaver in her girlfriend's voice, Charlie presses her lips to her forehead before holding her gaze. "He's thinking things through, but whatever happens, we're staying together."

"I want that more than anything, but Charlie, if he turns us in, then they'll most likely separate us, so how can we stay together?"

"I really don't know just yet, only that I'm not going to let anyone keep me from you." She takes a step back from Joey when she hears the front door. "Nick's back."

"Why do I feel like we're about to face the firing squad?"

Smiling, Charlie brushes her lips over her girlfriend's. "Hopefully it won't be that bad," she says, taking Joey's hand.

"Is that a good idea?" Joey says, looking down at their joined hands.

"It won't hurt to show Nick that we're in this together."

"Ok then, let's do this."


	37. Chapter 37

**…2012**

"Go away," mumbles Joey, turning onto her side and putting her back to her wife.

"It's Ruby's first day at school and we're supposed to be meeting Aden and Geoff at the diner for a family brekkie before we drop her off."

Joey cracks open an eye. "It's only 7am," she complains, closing her eye to block out the offending clock.

"I have a way to pass the time," Charlie whispers, her hand running lightly up and down her wife's side.

"So because you fell asleep in the bath and then went out like a light the moment I helped you into bed, you felt the need to wake me up from my," she stifles a moan when Charlie gently tweaks a nipple. "Peaceful slumber for sex?"

"Pretty much," replies Charlie, her lips right next to Joey's ear as her hand strayed lower. She grins when she hears her wife's breath coming quicker.

"You don't play fair," groans Joey, unable to stop her hips from thrusting against Charlie's hand.

"Would you like me to stop and let you go back to sleep?" Charlie teases as her finger glides through the wet warmth pooling between her wife's legs.

"Yes," squeaks out Joey.

"Your body seems to disagree."

"Just ignore it."

"I kind of like what its saying."

"So do I," groans Joey. Turning quickly to face her wife, Joey presses her lips to Charlie's.

Fingers finding each other with unerring accuracy, they enter at the same time and start a rhythmic thrust while their tongues danced in a passionate kiss.

Hips thrusting against invading fingers, the room was filled with the sound of their passion.

"Oh god," Charlie pants, her hips speeding up against Joey's hand.

Their breathing was coming faster now as their moans grew louder and they were soon crying out as they climaxed together.

Lying with their arms and legs entwined, Joey brushes her lips over Charlie's. "Good morning," she says cheekily.

"A very good morning." She snuggles closer to her wife. "Isn't that a better way to wake up than with an alarm clock?"

"A very enjoyable way, if you don't mind me being cranky for the rest of the day for waking me up so early."

"I'm at work all day and Ruby will be at school, so we won't have to worry."

"Just everyone else unlucky enough to be in my path."

"Not my problem."

"That's a great attitude for an officer entrusted with the well-being of the community."

"That's because even cranky, you're still a charming pussy cat," Charlie says, before cheekily adding. "Unless you're an obnoxious and insensitive police officer, then you show your teeth."

"I thought you liked it when I used teeth," Joey says with a smirk.

Recalling the way Joey would brush her teeth lightly over her nipples made Charlie flush with renewed arousal before it was quickly extinguished with Joey's next words.

"It's too bad it is now time to get up." Disentangling their limbs and rolling away from her wife, Joey glances over her shoulder. "Don't take too long dear, we have to be at the diner in 30 minutes."

Taking a moment to groan her frustration into the pillow, Charlie gets out of bed and heads for a cold shower.

* * *

><p>Noticing the way his friend was watching the woman with short dark hair standing next to her wife at the counter, Aden leans closer to Joey. "Is that her?" He asks with a whisper.<p>

"Yep, that's the new partner."

"She's kind of hot."

"Gee, thanks," mumbles Joey.

"Not a patch on you, of course."

"Nice save."

"And I doubt Charlie noticed her in that way."

"She didn't and after they left here yesterday, Charlie said Shauna had stopped noticing her as well."

"Ah, my little Joey made sure she staked her claim."

"You're a good one to talk, I've seen how you give the glare to anyone who shows an interest in Geoff."

"Guilty as charged."

Joey waves back when Shauna smiles and waves at her on her way to the exit.

"Aw, let's be friends," teases Aden. "Oof," he rubs his stomach after it met with Joey's elbow.

"This is a small town and as long as she has no designs on my wife, then there's no reason why we can't be friends."

"I'm just kidding Joey. I think it's great how you get along with nearly everyone."

They both glance toward Colleen who was still glaring at them, just as she had been since the five of them had arrived. Joey and Aden grin and give her the royal wave.

"Stop teasing the staff," Charlie says, as she, Geoff and Ruby return to the table with their breakfast.

"I feel like I've been under a microscope the whole time we've been here," Joey mutters.

"I can solve that problem," Charlie says, moments before pressing her lips against Joey's.

Ruby rolls her eyes when Geoff and Aden do the same. "She's not watching anymore," she tells them.

"That's good," Joey murmurs, kissing her wife one more time, before turning her attention to her daughter. "All set for school are we?"

"Yes mum," she replies with a long-suffering sigh.

"It's like this the first day of every school year," Charlie tells Geoff with a chuckle. "My wife has a hard time letting our little girl go and tends to triple check that Ruby has everything, including all the phone numbers to contact us on and when she's done that, she triple checks everything again."

"I'm not that bad," complains Joey.

"If you had your way, you would join Ruby in the classroom."

"And if you had your way, you would run a background check on every teacher and student and their families in the entire school."

"I was only joking when I said that." When she had said it, Ruby had only been five and it was to be her very first day at a school and she had only seriously considered the background checks for a mere moment, before realising it was a bit overboard, but when it came to their daughter, she made no excuses for being over protective, especially when she had come so close to losing them.

"Yeah, sure," Joey says with a smirk. She adored the way her wife was always looking out for the both of them, even when it made her a little overbearing at times.

"I'm starving, let's eat," Charlie says, deflecting the conversation.

* * *

><p>"What a nice little family," Irene says. She was still trying not to laugh at the way Colleen had huffed, turned her back on them and nearly blown up in reaction to the kisses and might have said something if Leah hadn't sent her to the kitchen.<p>

"It's wrong."

"Gawd help me woman, move with the times," Irene replies with some annoyance. "Ruby is a happy, well-loved little girl, which is more than can be said for some kids who have a mum and dad at home, yet miss out on the love that little girl obviously has."

* * *

><p>"Mum," complains Ruby as she's nearly smothered in her mother's arms.<p>

"Sorry," Joey says a little tearfully as she releases her daughter and steps back. "First day at a new school and all. I love you."

"I love you too mum." She allows Charlie to give her an equally smothering hug.

"Have you got everything?" Charlie asks her.

"Yes Charlie."

"Have fun today," Charlie tells her. "And behave."

"I will."

"And keep an eye on Romeo, he will need his friends while his mum is still in the hospital."

"I'll be a good friend mum." Giving her mother another hug, Ruby runs over to VJ, Romeo and April in the schoolyard.

"She's going to be fine," Charlie assures her wife.

"I know, but it always takes me a bit of time to get used to an empty house."

"Well, you have work starting in a couple of days, so that will keep you occupied."

"Speaking of work, shouldn't you be heading off?"

Charlie glances at her watch. "Shit, I had better be going. Do you want me to drop you off at home on the way?"

"Nah, I'm going to go for a walk along the beach and then take a bus to the hospital to check in on Georgie."

"Give Georgie my best and I'll see you later," she says, brushing her lips over Joey's.

Joey watches her walk away and then turns back to the school, her daughter already gone. "I'm already bored," she complains as she starts a slow walk toward the beach.


	38. Chapter 38

**…2007**

Walking into the kitchen, hand in hand, they find Nick getting a beer from the fridge.

"Nick?" Charlie says simply, while her insides were churning, despite the reassuring presence of Joey's hand in hers.

Nick kept his face neutral, as he looked first at their held hands, then at their expressions, which managed somehow to be both hopeful and fearful.

"Your judgement has been shit, you realise that, right?" Nick says, getting straight to the point.

"I happen to think I have great judgement in women," Charlie replies with a grin before getting serious. "Nick, I know I've not shown the best judgement as a police officer, but as a woman, I made a choice and it's one I'm extremely happy with."

"That's just it Charlie, you're supposed to be a cop and think like a cop at all times."

"What, 24-7?" Joey says incredulously.

"Not normally, no, but this is a protection detail, so things are a little different and I need to be sure that yours and Ruby's safety isn't compromised."

"Nick, I'd give my life for them," Charlie tells him.

"Charlie, no!" Joey cries out, scared at the prospect of losing Charlie forever, even if it was to save their lives.

Charlie raises her hand to Joey's face, gently cupping her cheek. "Joey, you and Ruby mean everything to me and I will do whatever is in my power to protect you."

"It's not as simple as that Charlie," Nick interrupts. "The job of protecting someone is a hard enough task to do without adding personal feelings into it and now that you are so personally invested emotionally with both Joey and Ruby, how do you think you are going to react if their lives are in danger?"

"How does anyone know how they'll react in a life and death situation?" she throws back at him. "Even as cops who are trained for situations in which we may be forced to take action to save someone, including risking our own lives to do so, we really have no idea how we'll react until we're faced with such a situation, because training is one thing, but in real life, it's an unknown quantity and one that is different for every person and situation." Nick nods, conceding her the point. Charlie smiles at Joey. "Before it was just a job and I would have protected them with everything I have and that hasn't changed. Their safety is still my priority and I will continue to do my best to ensure that they're never placed in a situation where their safety could be at risk to being with, just like I have from the start of this assignment." Only now, I have even more of an incentive to protect them, she added silently, because they were her future.

Nick was still having doubts, not necessarily where Charlie was concerned, because just like himself, he had to trust that her cop instincts would kick in if Ruby or Joey were ever in danger and she would protect them, but Joey was another matter; while he had little doubt she'd risk her life to save that of her daughter's, now he had to worry how she might react if Charlie risked her own life to save them. Despite his doubts, he supposed he really was just going to have to trust them both, because he didn't think splitting them up would be all that a viable option; for a start, they'd be distracted by their separation and in Joey's case, she probably wouldn't take too kindly to whoever replaced Charlie, which would just add even more stress to his shoulders and the last thing he needed, was any conflict interfering with their ability to do their job properly. Not for the first time, he wished Charlie had found a better time to fall in love or at least someone else to fall for.

Nick sighs. "I don't appreciate the situation you've put me in Charlie, but for the moment, I'm willing to keep this between the three of us." He holds his hand up when Charlie goes to speak. "It's strictly for the moment only Charlie and if I suspect your judgement is impaired in any way, I won't hesitate to have you removed." And despite the hassles and stress that would cause, especially to himself, if he believed it was the only way to protect all involved, then as a last resort, he would do just that. "But let's just hope we never have to find out how any of us would react when faced with a life and death situation."

"I hope that too Nick."

"Well, we've gotten this far without any sign of trouble, but once the trial date is set, we're all going to have to be extra vigilant, because the danger to Joey will increase the closer it comes to her testifying."

Charlie put her arm around Joey when she shivered. "It's ok to be scared Joey, but we're going to get you to that courthouse safe and sound, then once you testify, we can start our new life together."

"That's what's making this whole situation more bearable, knowing that at the end, we can finally be together as a proper couple, instead of having to hide how we feel about each other."

Nick rolls his eyes. If he had had any thoughts that Charlie may have taken advantage of the situation to seduce Joey, he would have shown Charlie the door, but the more he saw them interact together, the more he realised there was definitely more to them as a couple than just a fling and he couldn't blame Charlie for risking so much for love. He actually felt a little jealous at the obvious love they had for each other, because as hard as he tried, he had yet to find a woman who made him look at her like Charlie looked at Joey.

"Charlie, even though there's more than enough evidence and other charges to ensure Pirovic goes to jail, Joey's testimony is still important to guarantee the conviction for murder, so if this blows up in your face before the trial and the murder conviction is compromised as a result, then I don't know anything about any relationship," Nick says. "You may be willing to risk your career for love, but I'm not willing to risk mine, especially as I don't even get the girl, so I'd rather cop an earful for not noticing what was going on under the same roof, than having them find out that I knew and didn't report you like I should have as soon as I found out."

"I promise Nick, I will take full responsibility for everything."

"And if asked, we'll both say that we kept it from you," adds Joey. It wasn't exactly a lie, because they had kept their relationship from him, at least for some time anyway.

"For your sake Charlie, I hope this does stay just between us, because if it doesn't, you'd best be prepared for the consequences to your career."

Charlie nods. "I am."

"I hope you learn from all of this Charlie. While you have shown poor judgement, which I hope you're more careful about in the future, I think some positives can come from this; for a start, an ability to be more understanding and compassionate toward the people we have to deal with in our line of work."

"I think I've learnt quite a lot Nick, not just about what I was lacking as a cop, but also about myself and what is important in life."

"Then I'm glad some good has come from this. Out of curiosity though, what would you have done if my decision had been to report you?"

"Truthfully, I don't know, but I wouldn't have let anyone keep me from Joey."

"Yeah, I figured as much," he mutters.

"Nick, I can never be sorry for falling in love, but I am sorry for getting you caught in the middle."

"Just don't make me regret my silence Charlie and as you would most likely find it impossible to keep your hands to yourself until the trial, I'd still like you to at least try to keep your affections to inside the house and I think it best that you keep your relationship from Ruby. Considering how excited she gets, we don't want her running around and telling everyone that her mummy has a girlfriend and who that girlfriend is, especially as Charlie is supposed to be my wife."

"I nearly forgot about that," says Joey, smirking at her girlfriend before her features get stern. "How could you cheat on a great guy like Nick?" she accuses.

"How could you sleep with your brother's wife?" Charlie fires back with a big grin.

Nick takes a big swig of his beer, wondering how he was going to survive sharing a house with two women in love. "Remember ladies, this is supposed to be between just the three of us," he says as he walked out of the kitchen.

"And Shannon," murmurs Joey, moments before she was in Charlie's arms.

"I heard that." Both women jump apart in fright when Nick sticks his head back into the kitchen. "I would suggest looking up the meaning of the word discrete, but I'd be wasting my time, so instead, just to let you know, it's a Ruby alert."

"God, my heart is racing," Joey says after Nick had gone again.

"I know a better way to make it race," Charlie suggests with a leer.

"My room, tonight, as soon as Ruby is asleep," Joey states firmly.

"It's a date." Charlie presses her lips to Joey's. "We can pick up where we left off last night."

Joey shivered in anticipation just as Ruby burst into the kitchen wanting something to eat.


	39. Chapter 39

**…2012**

With a bunch of flowers and box of chocolates obscuring her face, Joey frowns when Georgie greets her by name. "How did you know it was me?" she asks, dumping the items onto the bed.

"Everyone else I know is at work."

"Oh, well, from Monday, so will I, but until then, you get my company during the day, unless you'd like some peace and quiet."

"God no, I am so bored here."

"That's why I also have these," Joey said, producing a portable dvd player, books and magazines from the backpack she had on.

"You didn't have to do all of this, the flowers would have been enough."

"Actually, the chocolates are from me, as are the dvd, books and mags, but the flowers were left for you at the nurse's station."

"They're gorgeous and must have cost a fortune. Was there a card with them?"

"Nope," Joey said after a quick search. "Looks like you have a secret admirer," she teases. She knew of at least one admirer and she suspected Bianca was responsible for the flowers.

"I doubt it."

Joey hated the way her friend said it in such a self-depreciating voice. "Hey, why wouldn't you have a secret admirer?" Joey said. "Georgie, you're a gorgeous lady and obviously there is someone else who thinks the same."

"Then they need glasses."

"Georgie, I won't have you putting yourself down."

"I can't help it," she murmurs.

"Then we're going to have to work on that."

"You like lost causes, do you?"

"I see I'm going to have my work cut out for me," Joey muttered. She sits on the edge of the bed and takes her hand. "Georgie, you are not a lost cause and I won't sit here and listen to you saying you are."

"I'm sorry, I'm just not in a very good frame of mind at the moment," she admits.

"Well, this place is enough to get anyone down, but is there something else bothering you?"

Yeah, my marriage is a sham, my husband is fucking someone else and I'm pretty sure that I'm falling in love with a friend, a woman no less, is what she wanted to say but instead, she just gazed at the flowers for a moment, before speaking. "My parents called earlier, it was only brief, but at least they did call," her voice trails off. "I don't know why I let their disinterest in me bother me so much, because it's always been the same and I doubt it will ever change."

"Georgie?" Joey said in a soft voice.

She shakes her head slightly. "I'd rather not go into that right now, it would just drag me down even further."

"If you ever want to talk, I'm here for you," offers Joey, while she privately wanted to have a few choice words to her friend's parents.

"Thanks Joey, I'm lucky to have you as a friend. You know, most of my friends have been fellow officers, so I've never really had someone that I felt comfortable with enough to open up to."

"Well, you have me and there's also Bianca, Leah and even Charlie."

"No offence Joey, but I can't imagine myself opening up to Charlie."

"She's a pussy cat."

Georgie couldn't stop the snort of disbelief escaping. "Yeah, if you say so, but Charlie is still someone I work with and it would feel weird to get too personal, especially as she's my superior."

"Fair enough, but she is a rather good listener."

"I'll keep it in mind," Georgie said, relenting a little. "Have you seen Bianca?" She missed her friend, missed just looking at her and spending time with her, even though it wasn't healthy. She was a married woman, she shouldn't be thinking about anyone, let alone another woman like that.

"Yeah, not a whole lot though, because she's been busy with the start of school and that, but I'll let her know you asked about her and I'm sure she'll be by soon." Even if I have to drag her here, Joey added silently. She knew it was hard for Bianca to be around Georgie, but for their friend's sake, Bianca needed to put that aside and be a friend to Georgie.

"Ah, the first day of school of a new year," Georgie muses. "I always have a hard time with letting Romeo go that first morning."

"I'm a little the same with Ruby," admits Joey. "Well, probably more like, slightly over protective and driving Ruby and Charlie nuts because of it."

Georgie chuckles. "We're allowed to be over protective, they are our babies after all."

"That they are. You should be proud of Romeo for the way he's dealt with things since your accident."

"I am and I'm so glad I have him," she said with a fond smile. "He only has to walk into the room and I feel better and Jack's been a great support too."

It seemed to Joey, that it came as something of a surprise to Georgie, that her own husband was being supportive and again it had her wondering if it had been Jack she'd seen that night and that perhaps her friend knew of her husband's extra-curricular activities, then again, considering her upbringing, it might just come as a surprise to Georgie when anyone shows that they care for her. The Watsons really had a lot to answer for, she thought angrily. Ruby was her most precious treasure and she would die for her, so she couldn't understand how any parent could ever be so cold or dismissive toward their own child as the Watsons were to Georgie.

"Are those soft-centres?"

"Huh?" Joey said, trying to get her thoughts back on track.

"The chockies, are they soft-centres?"

"They're a mix of soft and hard." Unwrapping the box, they make a start on the sweets.

* * *

><p>After a long day at work, Charlie was enjoying just sitting on the couch with her daughter cuddled up to her side, listening to her talk about her school day.<p>

"It was great Charlie, most of the kids in class are nice, but there are a couple who aren't very nice and Mrs Palmer's son is a bit of a pain, trying to lord it over everyone just because his mum is the principal." She shrugs. "But that's just school and you can't expect to like everyone."

"You'll tell someone if you have any trouble with those not very nice ones, though, won't you?"

"Of course I will Charlie," Ruby said with a role of her eyes. "But I can look out for myself."

"I know you can." She kisses Ruby's temple. "Because you're a Buckton."

"And Bucktons kick arse!" finishes Ruby with a punch of her fist into the air.

"Shhh, don't let your mum hear you say arse."

"I'll just tell her I got it from you," Ruby said with what would have been a look of pure innocence, if not for the devilish glint in her eye. "Now pay up for swearing in front of me," she said, holding her hand out.

"It's not really swearing," Charlie points out.

"Then why can't I say it in front of mum?"

"You said it first," counters Charlie.

"And where did I hear it from to begin with?" Ruby reminds her with a knowing look.

Charlie goes to reply, then pauses and narrows her eyes at her. "Oh, you are your mother's daughter."

"I'm your daughter too."

"Yes you are and I love you like crazy."

"I love you too mum."

Charlie's heart nearly burst, as it always did at the rare times when Ruby called her mum. There was a period were Ruby called her mum all the time and it had been something of a game for her; she'd bellow mum and as soon as either her or Joey came running, she'd sit there with a cheeky look and say, she meant the other mum. Somewhere along the way though, Ruby herself had decided that as she already had parents she called mum and dad, she'd go back to calling her Charlie, because having a name made her special. Charlie didn't quite follow that line of thought, but she knew Ruby loved her like a mum and the times, like today, when she called her mum, probably made Charlie cherish it all the more than if Ruby always called her that.

"How are my girls doing?" Joey calls out from the kitchen.

"We're hungry," they called back in unison.

"What a surprise," Joey murmurs affectionately as she joins them in the lounge room. "You'll just have to put your hunger on hold for another hour while tea cooks."

"An hour?" whines Charlie in a little girl voice, much to Ruby's amusement. "That's like, totally forever."

"Well, that's like, too bad," replies Joey, sending Ruby into a fit of giggles.

"And you two call me the baby of the family," Ruby said with a smirk.

"That's because you are our baby," Charlie said as she and Joey launched into a tickle attack on their daughter.

* * *

><p>Nearly an hour later, after checking on dinner, Joey rejoined her wife on the couch,<p>

"How was your day?"

"It was fine. Shauna listens and genuinely wants to learn. I think she'll make a fine officer in the future." She smirks at Joey. "And you can retract the claws, Shauna's eyes have been successfully diverted elsewhere."

"I'm not jealous, well, maybe just a tiny fraction, but I just didn't like the way she was looking at you."

"Well, you have nothing to worry about. Aside from Bianca now being on the scene, I think Shauna realises that I'm off limits, not just because I'm well and truly taken by you, but because I'm her superior officer."

"She actually seems rather nice."

"She is. What about you and your day?" Charlie asks pleasantly. "And exactly how many heads did my beautiful wife end up biting off with her crankiness today?"

"Despite my inconsiderate wife waking me up early for sex, none, but that could be about to change."

"Did you not hear me call you beautiful?"

"That's the only thing that's saving you."

"You are beautiful when you are cranky."

"And now you're pushing it."

"I love pushing your buttons, especially these ones," she said, tweaking Joey's nipples through her top.

"Charlie!" Joey squeaks, a shiver of arousal rushing through her. "It's nearly tea time and Ruby is right there," she said, pointing to their daughter who was curled up asleep on the other side of Charlie.

"Sorry, but your beauty calls to me."

"Calls to your hands, you mean."

"You love my hands."

"They are rather talented."

"What are we talking about?" Ruby asks a little sleepily.

Charlie jumps in fright and blushes at the thought they'd been overheard, while Joey smirks at her. "We're talking about Charlie being a hands on kind of woman."

"Joey!" Charlie squeaks, much like Joey had earlier. Ruby frowns, glancing between her mothers. Charlie always liked working with her hands, so she didn't really understand what was going on.

"Dinner is ready," Charlie said, saved by the timer going off.


	40. Chapter 40

_Back again and updates should be more regular from now on_

* * *

><p><strong>…2007<strong>

It had been such a relief when Nick had told them he'd keep their secret and her excitement at what the night promised had built throughout the rest of the day, to the point where Joey was kind of glad that Ruby had asked for Charlie to read her a bedtime story because she wasn't sure she'd have been able to make it through to the end; it was hard enough just kissing her daughter goodnight and leaving Charlie there while she waited alone in her room for the story to be over.

"And the waiting it taking forever," she moaned aloud. The first time, she had felt a mixture of excitement and apprehension at the thought of being intimate with someone, while this time around, her apprehension had gone but her stomach was still a flutter of excitement. She wondered if she would always feel this way and decided that she wouldn't care even if she did, as she always wanted to be excited by her girlfriend, no, she corrected herself, her lover. Joey grinned. She adored the sound of that - her lover. Charlie was her lover, her first lover and she hoped, her only lover. This all really was so unexpected, not just because she couldn't stand Charlie when she first met her, but because she just never expected to find love or ever want to be so intimate with anyone after what had happened to her as a teen, but now, she welcomed intimacy, at least with Charlie.

Joey had just glanced at the clock on the bedside table for what felt like the hundredth time when Charlie burst into the room. "I thought she'd never go to sleep," Charlie said, closing the door behind her.

There was no delay or hesitation as both women shed their clothing, their pent up passion getting the better of them and they were naked and in each other's arms in record time as their lips met in a long, passionate kiss.

"I didn't think I was going to last much longer," Joey murmured against Charlie's lips when they finally came up for air. Her brazenness in stripping so easily for her lover kind of shocked her but also confirmed to her that any insecurities she'd had the first time were long gone. It just felt so natural and right to be standing there in their nakedness, their breasts crushed together as they held onto each other.

"Believe me, I was hoping every page would be the last one, but Ruby's little eyes refused to shut until the end came."

"We'll have to get her a shorter book the next time."

Chuckling, Charlie steers them toward the bed but is halted by Joey. Her frown is quickly replaced by a grin at the following words from Joey. "If we're to pick up from where we left off, then you should be here," Joey said, pushing Charlie onto the bed and straddling her waist. Again, Joey surprised herself; it had only been the previous night when she'd waited so nervously for Charlie to show her what making love was all about, yet here she was, acting like she knew what she was doing when she was really just going with the flow.

Charlie was finding it quite a turn on the way Joey was taking control. "Your hands were all over me and you said you had to go by feel," she offered as a helpful reminder for what came next.

"Like this?" Joey said teasingly, her hands playing with her girlfriend's breasts.

"Yes," gasped Charlie, more than pleased at the reminder of Joey's gentle touch. "What are you doing?" she complained when Joey's hands left her breasts as she leant back and looked at the closed door.

"Just listening out to make sure we don't have to put a sudden stop to things like last time."

"Joey!"

Joey grinned cheekily. "Have to keep things as they were."

"Well now that we have, it's all new from here," replied Charlie, taking Joey's hands and putting them back where they belonged.

Ever since they'd made love, Joey had replayed each moment over and over and she wanted to give Charlie the same pleasure she'd given her. Squeezing her hands gently, she drew confidence from the moan of pleasure she elicited from her lover. "You are just so beautiful," she said, laying a tender kiss to Charlie's lips, then her chin, trailing a path of equally tender kisses to the hollow of her neck, then to the right, pausing a moment before flicking her tongue over Charlie's highly aroused nipple.

"Oh god," Charlie said breathlessly as her nipple was soon engulfed in the loving warmth of her girlfriend's mouth.

Joey moved from one nipple to the other, savouring the feel of her girlfriend's nipple in her mouth and the sounds she was making. She had thought it was indescribable when Charlie had sucked on her nipples, but she was getting turned on just as much by being the one to give the pleasure.

"Fuck," Charlie groaned aloud, feeling herself getting wetter by the second. It really hadn't taken her long to reach the place where she'd been the previous night before they'd been interrupted and she doubted she'd last long at all, especially as what Joey was doing to her was so much better than the solo relief she'd given to herself alone in her room last night.

Joey moved her attention back to Charlie's mouth, kissing her softly as her hand trailed downward. She found the spot between Charlie's legs with unerring accuracy, her lover's legs opening wider at the same time her lips parted for Joey, who accepted the invitation, entering Charlie with both tongue and fingers. Finding a rhythm, Joey thrust steadily into her girlfriend, who rocked her hips to meet each welcoming thrust as their tongues duelled in a passionate kiss. Remembering what Charlie had done to her, Joey's thumb quickly finds the little pleasure bud and with every thrust, she flicks her thumb against Charlie's clit.

"Yes, yes," Charlie moaned into Joey's mouth as she felt herself rushing toward the peak. "Faster," she panted.

Granting her request, Joey increased the speed of her thrusts, Charlie's hips bucking more frantically to keep up, all of which quickly sent Charlie over the peak. "God, yes!" she screeched, or it would have been a rather loud screech if Joey's mouth hadn't been covering her own.

The sight of her lover climaxing nearly sent Joey right over with her but when Charlie's leg rubbed against her in just the right spot, Joey was joining her with her own climax.

"Oh wow," Joey said, falling to Charlie's side. "It's a good thing you said we could do this as many times as I'd like, because I really love this whole making love thing."

Breathing heavily, Charlie smiled at her. "We have the rest of the night and," she reached over and gently ran the back of her fingers over Joey's cheek. "The next night and the next."

"I think next is my new favourite word."

"How about 'oh God' or 'more' or?"

Joey silenced her with a fingertip to her lips. "I'm sure I'll come to love those words as well."

"I'm sure you'll come too," Charlie said cheekily.

Blushing at her unintended pun, Joey rested her head on Charlie's shoulder. "I really wish you could have me saying those words well into the morning, but you can't be here when Ruby wakes."

"I know, but soon, we'll not only be able to spend the night making love or just lying in each other's arms, but the mornings or whenever we damn well please."

"I really do hope it's soon because I just want it all over so we can be a proper family and have a normal life."

Charlie kisses the top of Joey's head. "I want that too, more than anything and with Angelo calling and saying he was coming over tomorrow with news, I'm guessing we'll finally have the trial underway shortly, which means, this will soon all be over." She scooted down a little so she could hold Joey when she felt her shiver. "I know you're scared about the trial, but as Nick said, we'll be extra vigilant and there is no way in hell I'll let anything happen to you."

"I don't want anything to happen to you either."

"I'm not going anywhere Joey. You, me, Ruby, we're going to be a family and I'm not going to let anyone stop that from happening."

"I really love you."

"I really love you too."

"Dawn is still a while away," Joey said, her fear of the trial replaced by renewed desire.

"I guess I had better make the most of my time in your bed then," replied Charlie, setting to showing Joey a few more things. There was still so much to show Joey, thought Charlie and God help me when Joey becomes more experienced, because if earlier was anything to go by, then she would be at Joey's mercy in no time, which was actually something she was rather looking forward to.


	41. Chapter 41

**…2012**

"I can't believe you're working for the whole weekend," complained Joey as Charlie dried her hair. "Especially as it's my final days as a layabout mum before I start work."

"You are hardly a layabout mum," Charlie said, finding her wife's pout adorable. "And it's only for this weekend while that stomach bug does the rounds and we're short staffed." After the trouble their marriage went through when she let her work consume her life, she was determined to avoid ever repeating that mistake again, so was always conscious of never being rostered on for too many consecutive days unless there was a shortage of manpower and everyone else needed to work extra hours, like this weekend.

"That is one thing I'm definitely glad you didn't bring home from work." Joey's bottom lip quavers. "But I want my Charlie home with me."

"Nice try," Charlie said with a chuckle. "But you need to brush up on your emotional blackmail by studying Ruby a bit more."

"Oh please, I'll never be as good as that little master." She wraps her arms around her wife's waist. "I don't want you working too hard. The accident wasn't that long ago after all."

"Half my days will be spent in the office, so you don't need to worry."

"I can't help it."

Charlie tapped her on the nose. "I know and I love you for it," she said, brushing her lips over Joey's. "So, how are you going to spend your last hours of freedom before you rejoin the workforce again?"

"I'm taking Ruby to see that new movie at the cinema." Joey laughed at the look of relief on her wife's face. "Yes dear, you've been saved from that horrible fate."

"I just can't stand that guy."

"I'm not his biggest fan either but Ruby finds him funny."

"Hopefully she grows out of that soon," joked Charlie.

"Why don't you finish getting ready and I'll go get breakfast started."

"You really are the best wife." She leans in and kisses Joey soundly.

* * *

><p>"This better be good," grumped Bianca, her Saturday morning already off to a bad start when her neighbour had decided he just had to mow his lawn at 8am.<p>

"Good morning," Joey greeted her cheerfully.

"Oh, you really are one of those annoyingly happy people," Bianca groaned.

Joey just grinned even more. "We're here," she indicated at Ruby, "To give you some time off after a busy week back at school by taking April to the movies with us."

"You don't have to do that Joey," replied Bianca, even though she wouldn't mind a bit of time off.

"We're already going, so it's no trouble to take an extra."

"Thanks Joey, I'll just go ask April if she wants to go."

April had agreed and while she and Ruby grabbed a couple of things to take with them, Joey followed Bianca into the kitchen. "Georgie said you still hadn't been by to see her when I was at the hospital yesterday."

Bianca stared into her cup of coffee. She felt guilty about avoiding her friend and had spent a small fortune on the flowers and she still didn't know why she hadn't put a card with them, because Georgie was her friend, so it's not like buying her flowers was out of line. Lately though, she seemed to be feeling guilty about a lot of things, largely her inappropriate feelings for a married woman and now her friendship with Shauna. She didn't know why she felt guilty about going out with Shauna, it's not as if they had had sex or anything yet, they'd just shared a pleasant time together, but there was this voice at the back of her mind that kept telling her it was all wrong. She hadn't felt this way with Shannon, so what was different this time? Shauna was a free agent, she was hot and she was fun to be around, just as Shannon was, so why did it feel so wrong? Because Georgie nearly died, you idiot and even though Georgie hadn't heard her, she'd still told her that she loved her and speaking the words aloud to her for the first time, seemed to have changed things and as stupid as it was, it now felt like she was cheating on Georgie with Shauna. Fuck, love was cruel at times, she thought unhappily.

"Bianca, are you ok?" Joey asked with concern.

Startled from her thoughts, Bianca nods. "I'm fine, I'm just a bit tired from being woken up so early by my neighbour," she told her. "And I know I haven't been by to visit Georgie, I keep meaning to, but then I find myself making excuses not to go to the hospital," Bianca finally admitted.

"Are there any excuses today?" Joey gently asked. She didn't want to come across as too pushy but she also didn't want her friend to make herself or Georgie unhappy by staying away. She was also still curious as to whether Bianca sent those flowers, but she chose to leave that alone; if they were from Bianca, she obviously had a reason not to put her name to them.

"No, there's not," she replied softly.

"I really do understand how difficult this is for you Bianca, feeling like you do for her."

"Yeah it is difficult, but as nothing can happen between us, the best thing for me to do is to move on and just be there for her as a friend, which is what she needs right now. I'll stop in to see her after I have a shower," she promised.

"That's great. And how are things going with Shauna?" she asked, wondering if Shauna could be the one to help Bianca to move on.

"Fine," is all she said. Bianca was well aware that Shauna was interested in being more than just friends and maybe that was part of why it felt wrong being with her, because she herself wasn't ready for a relationship, so perhaps tonight when they met up, she should tell her that and then let Shauna decide whether she wanted to be just friends or cut her loose entirely.

"Mum, we're ready!" bellowed Ruby from the other room.

"My god, I have no idea where she gets such volume from," muttered Joey, much to Bianca's amusement.

"The younger and smaller they are, the louder they usually are."

"Tell me about it," Joey readily agreed. "I'll have April home around mid-afternoon."

"Thanks for taking her Joey."

"My pleasure and I'm sorry if you think I'm hassling you about Georgie."

"No, it's fine Joey and if I'm honest, I probably need the prodding to get my arse into gear."

"Should I prod again then?" Joey asked cheekily.

"I'll be right," Bianca answered with a chuckle.

"I'd better get the girls moving or that fog horn of mine will be waking the rest of your neighbours up."

"I'll see you later Joey."

* * *

><p>"I tell you, it was aliens that took it, not me," their suspect told them.<p>

Charlie rolled her eyes. She and Shauna had been going round and round in circles with this guy, who gave his name as Han Solo and kept insisting that aliens had stolen the cigarettes from the store.

"Heavy smokers are they, these aliens?" asked Shauna. "I would have thought aliens would be too advanced to suck on those death sticks."

"It's how they get their energy for those death rays that come from their eyes."

Charlie choked back a laugh. "I guess you were just holding it for your alien buddies then, were you?" she said, opening up his backpack to reveal it stuffed full with stolen goods.

"They teleported that there to set me up," he declared.

"Yeah, right." Charlie opened the door and helped him into the back of the squad car.

"You think he was smoking more than just the regular stuff?" Shauna asked over the top of the car.

"He's definitely on something. We'll have to stick him in a cell and wait for him to sober up before we can interview him properly." After the morning they'd had, she was looking forward to getting back to the station.

"I hope he doesn't puke back there," Shauna said.

"Well, as the junior officer, you'd better hope not," Charlie replied with a grin. "Because you will be the one cleaning it up, if he does."

"I hate being so junior," muttered Shauna as she gets into the car.

* * *

><p>Bianca hovered outside of Georgie's room. She really hoped her friend couldn't pick up on her feelings, because the last thing she wanted, was to make Georgie uncomfortable around her.<p>

"Is someone there?" Georgie called out.

"Just me," Bianca replied, finding the courage to finally enter the room.

"Hey," Georgie said, unable to keep the happiness at seeing her friend from her face.

"Sorry I haven't been by earlier, things have just been a bit hectic since school started," she explained and hated that she was lying.

"You're here now." Georgie had been starting to wonder if she'd done something to make Bianca want to avoid her.

"Oh, I got you these," she said, holding out a couple of books. "They're not crime novels, because I know you're not a fan of them."

"Thanks Bianca." She was touched that her friend had remembered what she'd said that night, even though she'd only said she didn't like crime novels out of jealousy of Bianca being a fan of Shannon's work. "Joey says they're from a secret admirer," Georgie said when she noticed Bianca admiring the flowers.

"Why do I get the feeling you doubt that you could have an admirer?" Georgie just shrugged in reply. "You're a beautiful woman Georgie and I'm sure you have more than one admirer," she told her and wished now that she had sent a card with the flowers.

"You and Joey are good for my ego."

"We're friends and we care about you and none of us like it when you put yourself down."

"I don't mean to."

"I know you don't." She dragged a chair over to her friend's bedside and sat down. "You gave me a fright the other day, when those machines started beeping out of the blue."

"You were here?"

"I snuck in," admits Bianca. She hadn't meant to say anything, but it just popped out.

Ever since she'd regained consciousness, Georgie had had this nagging feeling that someone had been speaking to her but when no one said anything to her about being there, she had thought she had just imagined it, only now she knew it must have been Bianca she heard talking. She wondered what she had been saying, because she had this feeling it could have been something important? She could ask Bianca, but something held her back.

"You snuck in?" she said instead.

"Yeah, it was supposed to be family only but when I saw you were alone, I thought I'd keep you company."

"That's so sweet."

Bianca could feel her face going red.

* * *

><p>Charlie showered and put on the spare uniform she kept in her locker. They'd gotten all the way back to the station without incident and she'd just helped him from the car when their friendly alien blamer decided it was time for his last meal to revisit them. Throwing up is bad enough when you do it yourself, but when you end up wearing someone else's, it's just, she shuddered and almost felt like having another shower. Her phone ringing came as a welcome distraction.<p>

"Hello, this is Charlie Buckton," she answered.

"Well hello Charlie Buckton, this is Joey Buckton, your wife."

"Hey baby, I take it the movie is over?" Her day picked up just at the sound of her wife's cheerful voice.

"Yes, thank god. The girls absolutely loved the movie but I was bored to death half way through it."

"Believe me Joey, I wish I was there with you watching that dreadful movie after the morning I've had."

"Are you ok?"

"I'm fine, but my uniform isn't. I swear, there must have been a full moon or something this morning with the way people we arrested were acting and the last guy decided to share his last meal all over me."

"Oh, gross."

"Very gross. I'm actually looking forward to spending the rest of the day in the office."

"Uh oh," Joey muttered.

"What is it?"

"I have two girls about ready to stuff their faces full of junk food, so I'd better go wrest some of that food from them before I end up with twin hurlers."

"Please don't mention vomiting again."

Joey chuckled through the phone at her. "I'll see you later at home. I love you."

"I love you too, bye."

* * *

><p>"It's Saturday, so are you planning to set the town alight with anyone special tonight?" At Bianca's hesitance, Georgie's heart dipped. First Shannon, now someone else, she thought morosely, before reminding herself that Bianca was free to see whomever she pleased.<p>

"I was going to go clubbing with a friend, but I think I'm going to cancel and spend a quiet evening at home instead." After she told Shauna she wasn't interested in anything more than friendship, she added silently to herself.

"I'd do anything to be home," Georgie said wistfully. She really wanted out of this rather depressing and stale room, though Bianca's presence made it much more bearable. The little dance her heart did whenever she was around also made her wish that it was Bianca she would be going home to, instead of a passionless marriage.

Bianca misinterpreted Georgie's need to be home, thinking that it must be hard for Georgie to spend the nights apart from her husband. "Have the doctors said how long you'll be here for?"

"I could be here for another two weeks before they'll even think of letting me out, then it'll likely be months before I can go back to work."

"I'll visit every day after work to keep you company," promises Bianca. "Even when you're back home."

Georgie wanted to say that wasn't necessary, but the words wouldn't come. She was looking too forward to spending time with the woman she was falling for.

* * *

><p>"Oh, what a day," Charlie groaned the moment she was home. At least she'd had a chance to relax in the afternoon while she caught up on paperwork, but it still felt like a long day. She had just dropped her keys onto the table when she sensed someone behind her and she was roughly shoved up against the back of the couch. "Don't move!" She froze. "Hands behind your back," a harsh voice demands.<p> 


	42. Chapter 42

**…2007**

After that first night in which Charlie woke with Joey in a blissful tangle of limbs, she spent every night for the next month in Joey's bed, their nights filled with passion, especially since Joey had proven to be a quick study. In essence, Charlie had all but moved into Joey's room, though for appearances sake, all her things remained in her old room and each morning, she woke early and reluctantly left Joey's embrace to sneak back to her own room before Ruby woke. Nick was well aware of where Charlie was spending her nights, especially after that one night when she'd had nothing on but a skimpy little negligee when he caught her sneaking out of Joey's room. He was good about it though, with his 'I know nothing' approach.

Charlie thought it was quite possibly, the happiest time of her life, except for the continued presence of Angelo. With the trial date now set for the start of the New Year, he was around so often to prepare Joey for her testimony, that he felt like a rather unpleasant permanent fixture. He pushed Joey to the limit of her emotions at times and Charlie to the limit of her patience with his insufferable attitude, but they both understood that the better prepared Joey was, the better she could deal with the defence lawyers who would quite probably be far worse than Angelo. It was the one time Charlie was grateful Angelo was on their side and despite her dislike of him and his tactics, he was the best person for the case.

With all the preparation Angelo insisted on, Joey had jokingly said that she felt she could testify in her sleep and though she was still worried about giving testimony against such a dangerous person, she drew strength from her girlfriend's unwavering support and love and by having her constantly by her side through it all, much to Angelo's apparent displeasure. On more than one occasion he'd dropped less than subtle hints that he would prefer to speak with Joey alone and each time, Charlie had ignored him. In the end, Angelo reluctantly let it go. His presence though, also meant that she and Joey had to be careful about how they acted around each other, because the last thing they wanted, was for Angelo to sense they were keeping something from him that could impact on the case.

As the trial drew closer, they had needed to be extra vigilant because of the increased threat to Joey's safety and the easiest way to ensure that, was to keep Joey's outings to a minimum but unlike when this all first begun, Joey accepted it all without complaint. Charlie grinned. Neither of them were complaining about being forced to spend so much time at home this time around, finding each other's company far more enjoyable these days.

"Morning Charlie," Nick greeted her through a yawn as he strolled into the kitchen.

"Good morning Nick."

He rolled his eyes at her exuberant reply. He never would have thought it possible for the Constable he first met to transform into the woman who smiled so often he wondered if her face hurt. They were playing with fire with their affair, but it certainly made his life a hell of a lot easier than the battle zone it once was.

"Is that this morning's paper?" asked Charlie.

"Yep." Without being asked, he pulled out the section Charlie was after and handed it to her.

"Thanks."

"It's awful quiet in here."

"That's because Ruby is next door," Charlie said with a chuckle. Christmas was only days away and Ruby was bursting with excitement, constantly chattering away about what she'd like for Christmas. It really was hard not to get into the Christmas spirit with Ruby around and they'd lashed out and gotten a tree which they'd all decorated. Charlie thought back to that day, holding up Ruby so that she could put the angel on top of the tree. She had truly felt a part of a family at that moment.

"Yep, that would explain the quiet." Nick had come to care about the little girl, well, all the girls if he was honest and he was going to miss them when this was all over. "I'm going to sit outside and read the paper," he said, grabbing his coffee and leaving Charlie to her section of the paper.

Sipping her own coffee, she opened up the real estate section and headed to the rentals. As soon as the trial was over, both of them would be free of the constraints on their relationship and so they had started to think about their future together, which included moving in together. Considering they'd already been living together for some time now, neither felt like they were rushing things by wanting to live together the moment they were free to do so but Charlie only had a one-bedroom apartment, far too small for a family and Joey hadn't renewed the lease on her place when it had expired a month ago, having decided she wanted her daughter in a better neighbourhood and so now, they were in the market for something new. Charlie actually liked the safe house and the idea of Ruby growing up with Shannon's kids next door, but it was a department house and even though they had some rather memorable times here, it would be nice to start afresh and as Joey had said, they could make some new memories wherever they ended up. Grinning at the type of memories she had in mind, Charlie perused the listings. It was still too early for them to start applying, but it wouldn't hurt to get some idea of the prices and the type of place they were after.

"Ooh, I like that one," Joey said from behind her.

Charlie was grateful she hadn't been holding her coffee at that moment or she would have been wearing it. "Jesus Joey, you scared me."

"Sorry."

"Funny, you don't look very sorry."

Leaning in, Joey kissed her soundly. "Convinced?"

Licking her lips, Charlie frowned, then shook her head. "Not quite."

Knowing her daughter wasn't about, she straddled her girlfriend's lap and draped her arms over her shoulders, pressing her lips firmly to Charlie's. Groaning as the kiss deepened, Charlie ran her hands up and down Joey's back, severely tempted to let her hands wander under Joey's top. "Ok," she said breathlessly when they finally came up for air. "I'm convinced you're sorry for scaring me. Now, which place was it you liked?"

Unable to see the paper from where she was, Joey reluctantly got up from Charlie's lap and took the seat next to her. "This one," she pointed.

"Two bedroom, sunroom, friendly neighbourhood and close to school," Charlie read out. "It does sound nice and I'm sure there will be other houses like that when it comes time for us to start applying."

"I hope so."

"Hey, what's up?" Charlie asked when Joey sighed.

"I'm just thinking of Christmas Day." Under the circumstances, trying to arrange Christmas with her brother and Aden had proven too problematic. Aside from them having other commitments of their own that day, they couldn't risk bringing them to the safe house in case they were followed and the same went for meeting them somewhere else. There was no certainty that Joey's family and friends were being watched by Pirovic's cronies, but Joey would never forgive herself if anyone else got hurt because of this mess and so Christmas was looking like just her, Ruby and Nick. Charlie would be there for lunch, but then she'd be spending the evening with her father and Shannon was taking her kids to dinner with her and Mandy's families. Joey did hope to celebrate a belated Christmas with her brother and Aden after the trial though and Nick was arranging for their presents to be exchanged through the police station.

"I wish I could spend the whole day with you, but dad doesn't really have anyone to spend it with except for me."

"I more than understand Charlie, he's your father and you should spend Christmas dinner with him."

"I'm going to miss you and Ruby like crazy."

"We'll still have the morning and part of the afternoon and," she grins. "Later in the night."

"That's a lot to look forward to."

"Of course, you could always speak to Nick to see if your dad could spend Christmas with us here," Joey suggested. She touched her fingers to Charlie's lips before she could protest. "Your dad is a cop, surely he could be trusted to keep his silence about our whereabouts and it's a different situation than with my family," Joey said. "No one knows you're the one looking after me, so there would be no danger of anyone following your father here."

"I don't know Joey," Charlie said hesitantly.

"I know we can't really tell him just yet that we're a couple, but having your father here with us would still be like our first family Christmas together and I'd really like to meet him." Joey turned her puppy dog eyes to full beam. "At least speak to Nick about it, please?"


	43. Chapter 43

**…2012**

_ "Oh, what a day," Charlie groaned the moment she was home. At least she'd had a chance to relax in the afternoon while she caught up on paperwork, but it still felt like a long day. She had just dropped her keys onto the table when she sensed someone behind her and she was roughly shoved up against the back of the couch. "Don't move!" She froze. "Hands behind your back," a harsh voice demands. _"You are under arrest."

Charlie grinned as she felt the cuffs going around her wrists. She loved it when her wife pulled the cop moves on her and the one time they'd previously used cuffs, it had been mind blowing.

"I have you at my mercy now," Joey hissed into her ear as the cuffs snapped shut. Standing so close to her now that Charlie could feel her breasts pressed against her, Joey rested her hands on her hips. "You've been a very bad girl."

"What are the charges, Officer?" asked Charlie.

"Be quiet," Joey commanded, her hands moving up her wife's sides. "If you're hiding something on you, I'll find it."

Charlie's breath was coming faster now as her excitement rose, Joey's hands now moving to her belly, then slowly upward.

"Anything here?" asked Joey as she cupped her breasts through the clothes.

"Oh fuck." Her nipples stretched the material of her bra and as she looked down, she could see her shirt tented slightly.

"Oh, now I know you're hiding something here," she said, her hands playing over the hardened peaks. From behind and unsighted, Joey deftly undid the buttons of the shirt.

With her shirt now hanging open, Charlie felt the coolness of the air against her aroused and flushed skin, the contrast making her nipples even harder.

Joey squeezed both bra-clad breasts hard, not too hard though, but just the way her wife liked it, her thumbs flicking back and forth over her nipples. "Yep, definitely something there," she said. She tugged the bra outward until Charlie's breasts fell out and the bra now rested loosely under them. "You should never have tried to hide the goods from me," hissed Joey, lightly pinching each nipple.

"Ahhh," moaned Charlie. At this rate, it wouldn't be long until she was climaxing.

"Spread 'em," commanded Joey, her wife only too happy to comply.

Charlie groaned in disappointment when Joey stepped away from her, but Joey's absence was short lived as she squatted behind her and starting from her ankles, ran her hands slowly up her legs until she was once again standing behind her, her breasts pressed against her back.

"All clear there, but what about here?" When she cupped Charlie between the legs, Joey gasped along with her wife at the touch. She could feel her wife's heat through her pants. "I think I need to inspect a little more closely," she said, her voice husky. Charlie could only manage a nod. As she did with the shirt, Joey unbuckled the belt and slid down the zipper, from behind and unsighted. She tugged the pants down a little, her hand sliding under the top of the band of Charlie's knickers and lower. "My, what do we have here?" she queried, her finger running through the wetness that awaited her there. "Are you trying to bribe me with sexual favours?"

"Yes officer," moaned Charlie, her hips thrusting against her hand.

Joey groaned when her wife's buttocks rubbed against her front with ever thrust of her hips. "I think I need more to convince me to accept that bribe." She moved away again and slid Charlie's pants and knickers down. "Lift your leg," she commanded and Charlie obeyed on shaky legs. She was desperate to come. "Now the other."

Standing naked from the waist down, her shirt hanging open, breasts bared, Charlie almost came when Joey moved back in behind her. Once again, her arms circled around her wife and she teased Charlie by sliding her fingers through the heated wetness between her legs. Her hand paused. "What do you have to say for yourself, now?"

"I'm sorry for hiding the goods."

"And you still want to bribe me?"

"God yes," she all but shouted.

"Tell me how," Joey asked huskily, her finger darting quickly in and out of her wife's heated entrance.

"I want you to fuck me officer," she said breathlessly. "Make me pay for being a bad girl."

"Very well." She thrust one finger into her wife.

"Oh yes," moaned Charlie as her wife began to move her finger slowly, in and out, in and out. She could feel herself becoming wetter with desire with every stroke of her wife's talented finger. Joey slid another finger in, and Charlie's thighs trembled slightly as Joey pumped her fingers in a steady rhythm, each thrust taking her closer to the peak.

Joey couldn't go as deep from this angle, but she could still reach the little pleasure bud that would have her wife crying out. Finding Charlie's hardened clit with her thumb, she pressed the swollen bud, massaging it in a firm circle as her other hand treated her nipple to the same pleasure.

"Fuck yeah!" gasped Charlie. Her legs felt weak and her breath was coming faster and faster as her wife picked up the pace.

"You look so hot panting for me," she whispered into Charlie's ear. "Tell me how much you love paying for being a bad girl."

"Love it so much!" Charlie groaned out in pleasure. Every nerve ending was on fire and screaming for release.

"Show me how much," Joey commanded, adding a third finger and continuing the fast rhythm she'd found.

"I'm coming!" she screamed, "Oh god, I'm coming, fuck me, fuck me, yes, yes!" Charlie cried out as she came hard against Joey's hand. Her legs gave way the moment Joey's fingers left her and she fell forward over the back of the couch, her body continuing to convulse in the aftermath of her orgasm as she panted for breath.

"You're not such a bad girl now," Joey said, slapping her teasingly on the arse that was sticking in the air.

"Joey!"

"That's Officer Friendly, to you," she said. "And you're not finished paying me off just yet. Now, I'm going to take the cuffs off, then you're going to remove the rest of your clothes, then you're going to slowly turn around and let me put the cuffs back on you," Joey instructed. "Do you understand?"

"Yes Officer Friendly."

On still shaky legs, Charlie stood and did exactly what Joey had told her to do. Her heart raced as she turned around and was confronted with Joey in one of her old uniforms. Joey always joked that the uniform made her look like a Smurf, but she found her as hot as ever, and her wife's authoritarian look was making her even wetter between her legs. She had no idea where this need came from, she had always been the one in control with women, yet along came Joey and she was only too happy to let her have her way with her and however she wanted to do it. Charlie held her hands out before her, eager to let Joey snap the cuffs back onto her.

Once the cuffs were back on, Joey stood closer, the material of her shirt and own hardened nipples rubbing nicely against Charlie's as she raised the cuffed hands and draped them over her shoulders. She pushed Charlie until she was sitting on the back of the couch.

Charlie moaned as Joey stood between her legs and kissed her soundly. Hooking her legs around Joey's waist, she held her against her as their tongues duelled and the room was filled with their moans of passion.

"Oh god," Charlie sighed happily into Joey's mouth as her fingers found their way back inside her. She was still flying from her last orgasm so she wasn't going to last long this time, especially with the added sensation of her sensitised nipples rubbing against Joey's uniform.

"Harder," she begged and Joey complied, her lips once more finding hers as she pumped harder and deeper into her. "Yes!" Charlie screeched as her body went soaring once more and still, Joey didn't stop, her fingers pumping relentlessly into her wife.

"Nearly paid off," panted Joey, the sight and sound of her wife's pleasure making her incredibly wet as her wife cried out loudly for her again and her sex gripped her fingers tightly in the throes of her climax.

"I love you Officer Friendly," Charlie murmured, moaning softly as Joey's fingers left her again, but hopefully not for the last time that night.

"I love you to." She held her wife close to her as Charlie drew deep breaths.

Some five minutes later, still nestled snuggled against Joey, Charlie asked where Ruby was.

"So after screaming down the house multiple times, now you ask me where our daughter is?" Joey replied with a chuckle.

Charlie blushed furiously. Once she realised what Joey had planned, all other thoughts had left her.

"Bianca returned the favour and took Ruby for the night," Joey explained.

"So, it's just you and me and this big, empty house, then?" Charlie said with a hopeful smirk.

"Yep." A knock at the door has them both groaning. "And it seems, whoever is at the door," muttered Joey.

"Quick, you'd better unlock the cuffs."

Disentangling themselves, Joey stepped back and reached into her shirt pocket.

"Hurry up Joey," Charlie said when there was another knock.

"I can't find the key."

"That's not funny Joey."

"I'm not joking. I put the key in my pocket, but look," she waggled her finger through the hole in the pocket that Charlie could now see.

"Oh fuck, what the hell are we going to do?" squeaked a panicked Charlie as whoever was on the other side of the door knocked louder.


	44. Chapter 44

**…2007**

"What are you doing?" Charlie murmured sleepily.

"Opening my Chrissy present," Joey answered cheekily, her nifty fingers making short work of the buttons on Charlie's nightgown.

"I need to be getting back to my room before Ruby is up."

"Damn, for a moment I forgot about that," she groaned grumpily.

Charlie rolled onto her side and put her arm across Joey's middle. "At least we still got to wake up on our first Christmas morning together and we now have the whole day and evening together to look forward to."

"Our first family Christmas together," Joey murmured with a bright smile.

Charlie was still a little hesitant in having her dad in the same room as her and Joey. She hated keeping the truth about their relationship from him, but she was also a little worried that because he knew her so well, he'd pick up on the feelings they had for each other and while he had never had a problem with her sexuality or her relationships in the past, Joey was the one woman who could be a threat to her career in the Force and that would be something her father might not approve of. He was as proud of her achievements as she was and so she just wasn't sure how he'd react to her risking so much because of bad judgement on her part, not that she saw Joey as bad judgement, but those in the Force would.

She was still a little surprised Nick had relented so easily in letting her father come to the safe house after she'd finally succumbed to her girlfriend's persistence, or should she say, gorgeously appealing puppy dog eyes and asked Nick. She wondered how much of Nick's decision had to do with his brother and his family turning up for Christmas, after Shane had previously told him that he and Angel and their kids couldn't make it. She certainly couldn't begrudge him wanting to be with his family, after all, his life had been uprooted just like the rest of them, but unlike her, she was now living with her family every day while he couldn't even bring a date home with him. Still, if Nick had had any worries for Joey's safety, he'd have never agreed to letting her father come and in a way, Joey was going to be more protected, as she would have two cops by her side for the whole day, instead of just Nick in the evening while she was out with her father as first planned.

She smiled wryly. Her girlfriend was testifying against a very dangerous man, yet it was her own father's impending arrival that she was worrying about the most right now.

"What are you thinking to be smiling like that?" asked Joey.

"I was just thinking about dad's visit. I'm happy that he's going to be meeting the woman and child I plan to make a family with, but at the same time, I don't like lying to him and I'm a little worried, I mean, under normal circumstances, I think he'd be happy that I've finally found someone I intend to settle down with."

"But I could be career suicide if it gets out about us before the trial," Joey concluded for her.

"I'm the happiest I've ever been and while I don't think I'd get fired if it did get out early, my career would take a hit and so I might no longer be going in the direction I had once been heading full steam ahead in." She smiled at Joey. "But whatever happens to my career, I don't have any regrets. It's just a job and it would be meaningless if I didn't have you and Ruby in my life." She brushed her lips over hers. "I love you more than anything."

"I feel the same way about you." With the buttons of Charlie's nightgown having already been undone minutes earlier, Joey took the opportunity to continue unwrapping her present, by pushing the nightgown down one of Charlie's shoulder as she lay facing her.

"Joey," Charlie started to say but her next intended words were cut off by Joey's mouth on her nipple. Her body responded and she thrust her chest out toward Joey.

Smiling at Charlie's response, Joey's teeth gently grazed the nipple, knowing it drove her girlfriend wild when she did that. She may still be relatively new to the whole sex thing, but she knew what she liked and had learnt very quickly that Charlie liked much the same.

"Oh god, Joey," she moaned, sitting up a little more so she could slide the nightgown off her other shoulder to give Joey better access to both nipples. "Oh yes," she sighed happily as Joey lovingly attended to her nipples while her hand gently glided under the nightgown, to rest on Charlie's hip.

Before Joey could get any further, she stopped suddenly and sat up straight.

"Huh?" Charlie looked at her in aroused confusion, moments before Joey was pushing her down and pulling the sheet over her just as Ruby burst into the room.

"Ruby, you're supposed to knock!" Joey said sternly while trying not to laugh at the rather large lump under her sheet. She was glad her daughter had been so excited and had been yabbering away as she raced to her room, otherwise there would have been some explaining to do as to why a half naked Charlie was in her bed and with Charlie's father coming today, it probably wasn't the best day for Ruby to find out the truth, because she most certainly wouldn't be able to keep quiet about it.

"It's Christmas Day mum," she said as she bounded on to the bed. Joey coughed to cover the oomph that came from Charlie when Ruby landed on her. Ruby still seemed oblivious to everything except what day it was.

"It's still polite to knock," Joey replied.

"Where's Charlie?"

"In her room."

"No she's not, her door is open and it's empty."

"She might have stepped out to get something," Joey said, all the while, keeping her eyes off the lump by her side. "Why don't you go into the kitchen and get the table ready for brekkie?" she suggested.

"Can I open my presents first?"

"It's still really early Ruby, so let's wait until everyone is up and dressed and here."

"Ok." She sat there, looking expectantly at her mother.

"I'll be up shortly Ruby."

"I'll go wake Nick then."

"Leave him…be," her words coming too late as Ruby flew from her room. "It's safe to come out now," Joey told Charlie.

Flushing slightly at the close call, Charlie peered out from under the covers. "There's no chance she'll be back?"

"I can't guarantee that, but I'll go and distract her while you go get dressed and then act like you've come back from outside."

Charlie tossed the sheet aside and hastily buttoned up her nightgown, "Whatever house we move into, can I suggest a lock on our bedroom door?"

"There's no such thing as a childproof lock," Joey said as she climbed out of bed and put on her clothes. "That's just a myth." Leaning over, she kissed Charlie softly. "Give me a couple of minutes to get her busy in the kitchen, then make a run for it."

Even with the unexpected interruption and dampener to what had been a rising desire, Charlie smiled. Today was going to be the first real family Christmas she'd celebrated since her mother had died and despite her worries, she was looking forward to it.

* * *

><p>Charlie watched from inside as Ruby and Joey ran around the backyard with their new toys, including the nerf blaster Charlie had gotten Ruby. She had been clueless when it came to shopping for a child, so a couple of weeks ago, Joey had taken her and Ruby to the toy store, with the advice to keep an eye on Ruby to see what made her eyes light up. Well, what had made her eyes light up the most was a $200 hunk of plastic which not even Joey thought was worth it, but she and Ruby had had a lot of fun testing out the nerf blasters in the store, so when Ruby was otherwise distracted amongst all the other toys, Charlie had bought one for her and one for herself and also some other nerf balls and toys and had them gift wrapped in store.<p>

Still, Charlie hadn't been sure it was the best gift, until she saw the look on Ruby's face when she opened up her present and Charlie told her she also had one so that they could play together. Joey had given her a congratulatory kiss when Ruby wasn't looking and had whispered well done. They'd spent the best part of an hour testing out all of Ruby's new toys and she'd loved every second of it. She wasn't sure Nick had though, with all those screeching females running around with projectiles and she'd almost laughed at the relief on his face when it had come time for him to leave.

From Ruby, she'd received a beautifully framed copy of the picture Ruby had drawn of the four of them together, with the very special title of, Ruby's Family. Even Nick had looked a little misty eyed to have been included. While Ruby had been engrossed with her presents, Joey had shyly given Charlie hers, which was a beautiful pen for her to use at work, a dvd box set of her favourite movies and some gorgeous earrings she'd immediately put on.

When it came time to give Joey her gift, she'd been almost as nervous as she had been with Ruby's. Buying for a child was hard, but so was buying for the woman who meant the world to her, especially when she had so little practice with it in the past. The look on Joey's face when she saw the necklace made up for the nerves though and Joey had asked her to put it on her. Charlie had been so happy she liked the gifts, which also included a box of Turkish delight, not the chocolate covered ones, as Joey preferred the plain ones and the latest books in the fantasy series Joey was currently reading.

Charlie smiled as the sun flickered off the necklace around Joey's neck. It had four small hearts with their points meeting in the middle, surrounded by an endless knot within a diamond shaped pendant and the words, _eternal love_ etched along the sides. It had come as somewhat of a pleasant surprise to her when she'd walked past the jewellery store and her eyes had immediately fallen on to the necklace. It wasn't an engagement ring, but it was her way of expressing to Joey just how committed she was to them.

Her musings were interrupted by a knock at the door. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, feeling both trepidation and anticipation.

"That must be dad."


	45. Chapter 45

**…2012**

_"Oh fuck, what the hell are we going to do?" squeaked a panicked Charlie as whoever was on the other side of the door knocked louder._

"Don't panic," Joey said to her.

"That's easy for you to say, you're still dressed while I'm sitting here buck naked with handcuffs on," Charlie complained. "What sort of look is this for a police officer?"

Joey stood back and admired her wife, naked in all her glory, her body glistening and flushed from sex. "Gee, I don't know, but from my position, it's a rather hot and sexy look."

"Joey!" Charlie cried out in exasperation at her wife's lack of panic.

"We don't have to answer the door," Joey pointed out just as there was more banging on the door.

"It doesn't sound like they're going to leave any time soon." She held her hands up. "Seriously Joey, I cannot be seen with handcuffs on."

"Why don't you just go and wait upstairs?"

"What if they want to speak to me?" Charlie replied. "I can't even get dressed properly with these cuffs on."

"Ok then, the key has to be around here somewhere."

They both look frantically around the room. "There it is," Joey said excitedly, pointing to the bottom of the stairs.

"If they want to talk to me, delay them for a couple of minutes while I get the cuffs off and get dressed," Charlie said as she snatched up her discarded clothing and bolted for the stairs, pausing only to pick up the keys in her flight up to their room.

Joey chuckled softly as she opened the door to find their neighbour standing there.

"Your dog just dug up my garden and shit on my lawn," he accused her angrily.

"We don't have a dog," Joey said gently. Their neighbour was an elderly man who sometimes got a little mixed up. "I think you're looking for the neighbour on the other side."

He opened his mouth, then closed it as he finally realised who he was speaking to. "Oh, I'm sorry," he mumbled before rushing away.

Shaking her head with a wry smile, Joey closed the door. She paused and glanced at the window by the door and then up the stairs where her wife had only moments ago, made her very naked escape. She chuckled. If anyone had been peering through the window, they'd have been treated to a rather unexpected view of their local Senior Constable.

"Probably best not to mention the window to Charlie," she murmured to herself as she raced up the stairs.

She found her wife just putting the last of her clothes on.

"He's gone Charlie."

"Who was it?"

"It was a wrong number," she quipped.

"Very funny."

"Actually, the neighbour got the wrong house."

Charlie sat down on the edge of the bed. "I've never felt so embarrassed."

"Why, it's not like we actually got caught."

"I suppose not, but it was a bloody close call and," she sighed. "It kind of completely killed the mood."

"So no more Bad Girl and Officer Friendly?"

"I'm sorry, I just keep imagining someone walking in the door or worse, Ruby coming home early."

"She's not due back until tomorrow morning."

"It wouldn't be the first time she arrived home earlier than expected and nearly caught us out."

"True." Joey crawled onto the bed beside her wife. "Well, for the moment, we still have the house to ourselves, so what's the plan for the rest of the night?"

"It's been a long time since we just sat down with pizza, beer and a movie."

"Then that's what we'll do."

* * *

><p>After a quiet evening in on Saturday and a slow Sunday where they did little except spend some quality family time together, Charlie turned up at the station Monday morning looking forward to the day. As it was Joey's first day at work, she'd treated her to breakfast at the diner before dropping her at work. She smiled as she walked over to her desk. Her wife had been like a little girl on her first day at school, both excited and nervous but despite her nerves, she knew Joey would quickly find her feet and would revel in the work.<p>

"Cute picture," Shauna said as she walked by Charlie's desk.

"It was the first Christmas present my daughter ever gave to me," Charlie told her. They were still unpacking some boxes and the moment she found it, it had to go back to where it usually belonged, on her work desk. She could still remember the surprised and somewhat shocked looks from her old colleagues in the city when she'd first put the picture on her desk, because at the time, they hadn't yet come to grips with the new and improved Family Charlie.

"Who's the other person?"

"Nick Parish. He's a good friend of the family and kind of like an uncle to Ruby," Charlie explained while skipping over all the other details as to how they met Nick. She looked up at Shauna more closely when she heard her sigh.

"You ok Shauna?"

"Yeah, I just got dumped the other night, that's all."

"Really?" Charlie said in surprise. "I thought you and Bianca were getting along great."

"So did I," she mumbled. "But I guess I was more interested in something more happening between us than she was."

"I'm sorry."

Shauna shrugged. "It wasn't meant to be." She really wasn't having much luck with the ladies in Summer Bay and she was still undecided if she wanted to spend time with Bianca as just friends or avoid her completely, which might not be so easy in this town. Shit, it was hard enough meeting someone new when she had more options in the city, but lesbians weren't exactly growing on trees in this place.

"Charlie, Shauna," Peter called out to them. "I need you to go and check out a disturbance down at the wharf. Apparently there are some rather healthy discussions going on about a shipment of fish and who it rightfully belongs to."

"Ok, we'll get right on to it," Charlie replied.

"I hate the wharf," Shauna complained. "All that fishy smell just stinks to high heaven."

Charlie chuckled. "It's an acquired smell."

"One I hope I never have to acquire on a lengthy basis."

"Joey's actually started working down there today for her friend's charter boat company." She frowned. Aden's boat was moored a fair distance away from the trawlers and fish market, so she was hoping that meant that Joey was well away from what was happening down there right now.

* * *

><p>"Shouldn't you be at work?" Georgie said, happy to see a friendly face. Even with regular visits from her friends, there was still a lot of time where she had no company except for herself and the hospital staff.<p>

"Early lunch break because the clients are running a couple of hours late," explained Joey as she held up a bag. "And I thought you might appreciate something that didn't come from the hospital kitchens."

"Yes thank you!"

Joey chuckled at her enthusiastic response as she moved the bed's table into place and started dishing out the food.

"Oh god, that smells wonderful," Georgie said, her mouth watering in anticipation. "You're the best Joey."

"So my wife tells me," she smirked. "You seem a lot chirpier lately."

"I'm feeling much better," she replied and it wasn't just to do with her injuries being less painful. Bianca had been spending a few hours a day with her for the past couple of days and Georgie felt like all her troubles faded away whenever she was in her company and she was already counting down the hours until today's visit.

"I'm glad and if you keep it up, you'll be out of here in no time."

"I hope so." She bit into the meal, savouring the flavour. "Because I can't wait to have decent food on a more regular basis." The hospital food wasn't all that bad, but it was rather bland at times and wasn't something she really looked forward to.

"Whenever I can, I'll smuggle in some of the real stuff for you."

"I'll love you forever if you do."

Joey grinned. "Charlie might have a problem with that," she quipped. "Seriously though, I really am happy to see that smile on your face."

"It's because I have friends like you." It still felt weird to her. She'd had friends before, but none she felt as close to as she did with these ones.

"Well that's good, because you're stuck with us."

"Good." She tucked into the rest of her lunch.

* * *

><p>Joey screwed up her nose and sniffed the air just as her wife walked into the kitchen that evening. "Why do I smell fish?" she wondered aloud, before deciding she must be imagining it.<p>

"How was work?" Charlie asked, casually giving herself a sniff and realising that there was still the odour of fish on her. She and Shauna had arrived at the wharf and walked straight into the middle of a brawl involving flying fish and fists and somewhere in the scuffle, she'd ended up in a pile of slimy fish and despite having a couple of showers and using so much soap she thought the froth from the lather might take over the station, it seemed she still hadn't gotten rid of the odour. And to make matters even more annoying, Shauna had managed to avoid having the same fish dunking and had laughed the whole trip back to the station, her loathing for the smell of fish, apparently forgotten in her amusement and the poor police car had had to be sent to the car wash to be professionally cleaned, inside and out.

"It was great," Joey enthused. "We took this lovely couple and their family who are holidaying from the city, cruising along the river and it's so peaceful out there."

"Maybe we should go one day."

"I'd love that." She pressed her lips to Charlie's and frowned as she realised she hadn't been imagining things before. "You smell fishy."

"I spent some time down at the wharf on a call out."

"Did it involve swimming with the fishies?" Joey joked.

"Actually, it sort of did," Charlie said and then filled her in.

"Oh, I so wish I'd been there," Joey said through her laughter when Charlie had finished.

"I swear, I scrubbed and scrubbed, but I can't completely get rid of the smell."

"Try the scented liquid soap in the shower, it might work better than just that plain stuff you use at work."

"Good idea and I might just go have another shower right now."

"Tea will be ready by the time you're done," Joey told her. "Oh, by the way, Darryl called earlier and said he was going to be back home by the end of the week."

"That's great news," Charlie said, more for her wife's benefit than hers. She and Joey's brother got along well enough, but they didn't really know each other all that well and she'd always had this feeling he would prefer Joey with a guy, not that he ever said anything aloud. Maybe it was just her he didn't completely approve of. "I'll be back shortly and hopefully, I will be smelling a whole lot rosier."

"It's lavender scented, so you will be smelling a whole lot lavenderier," Joey said.

"That's not a word."

"It is today."

Charlie walked from the room with a chuckle.

"Hey Charlie," Ruby said, not looking up from where she was playing her computer game.

"Hey Ruby. What's the score?"

"Just passed your highest score."

That wasn't saying much, thought Charlie, her prowess at computer games less than impressive. "Don't forget to do your homework tonight."

"I won't." She paused the game and looked over her shoulder at Charlie. "Do you smell something kinda fishy?"

"Nope," lied Charlie, before rushing up the stairs with the hope that there was going to be enough soap to do the job.


	46. Chapter 46

**…2007**

Charlie hesitated a moment with her hand on the doorknob. Taking a deep breath, she swung the door open. "Merry Christmas dad," she greeted him with enthusiasm.

"Merry Christmas Charlie." He kissed her cheek as his eyes darted around the room. "Quite the festive look you've got going here," he commented on the tree, decorations and presents scattered around the lounge room.

"It's mostly for Ruby," Charlie explained, though in truth, all of them had gotten a lot of enjoyment out of decorating the tree and room.

"Ruby, that's the daughter, isn't it?"

"That's right. Joey and Ruby are out the back playing with Ruby's toys."

He raised his brow at the tone in his daughter's voice when she spoke about the woman and her daughter. He thought he detected affection in her voice, but he couldn't be sure.

The sound of screams and laughter interrupted his thoughts as a child burst into the house and flew straight past them in a giggling blur.

Completely forgetting about her 'no running in the house' rule, Joey chased after her daughter and fired the last round from her nerf blaster. Her eyes opened in horror when the dart sailed right over her daughter's head and hit the rather distinguished looking gentleman she unluckily realised too late was Charlie's father, right between the eyes.

Charlie was caught between shock and laughter while her father's lips twitched. It was the first time in his career as a cop he'd ever been shot and the look on his daughter's face was worth it as was the little girl's hysterical laughter at her mother's poor aim.

"Dad, I'd like you to meet my charges," Charlie said, in as calm a voice as she could find. Her dad didn't appear too fussed, unlike her girlfriend who looked like she desperately wished she was elsewhere. "The one with the bad aim is Joey and the laughing hyena is her daughter, Ruby." Her words sent Ruby's laughter off even more. "Joey, Ruby, this is my father, Ross."

"Oh god, I am so sorry," Joey said with a slight stammer. She'd been the one who had talked Charlie into inviting her father for Christmas, but she had been hoping for a much better introduction to meeting her girlfriend's father than by shooting him in the face with a foam dart.

"No harm done and may I suggest that next time, you stop, aim and then fire so it doesn't go wide."

"Ah, right, thanks," Joey said, still embarrassed by what she'd done. At least he didn't seem pissed, which was a good thing, because even though they couldn't tell him that they were a couple, she still wanted him to like her. "It's nice to meet you, Ross," she finally managed to get out.

"You too, Joey," he said, shaking her hand before he turned his attention to the suddenly quiet and shy little girl who was now hiding behind his daughter's legs.

"It's ok Ruby, this is just my dad."

Ruby peered at him from around Charlie's legs as if assessing him. She looked up at Charlie, then back at him. "Can I call you granddad?" she asked suddenly.

"Ruby!" Joey said, slightly horrified by her daughter's presumption.

"He's Charlie's dad and I love her like a mum, so doesn't that make him my grandfather," she said as if it made perfect sense.

Ross's eyes twinkled merrily as he waited to see how they would handle this.

"It's doesn't quite work like that Ruby," Charlie said, even though that as Joey's partner, she was now Ruby's step mum and so her father was in fact, a grandfather, not that they could say anything about it just yet.

"Actually, granddad sounds nice," Ross interrupted as he played along, his words earning a beaming smile from the little girl. He had sensed the moment Joey and Ruby entered the room that there was more going on here and his daughter's reactions to the child were unexpected. Charlie had always had an aversion to children, yet the way her eyes lit up when Ruby said she loved her liked a mum, made him think she had finally reconsidered her view on children being little monsters who made life hell. He guessed being made to live under the same roof as the girl had forced Charlie to make some changes in her life but there was definitely a dynamic to the trio that bore watching more closely.

"Charlie, why don't you and Ruby show your father around while I check on the turkey," Joey suggested.

"Ok," Charlie said, watching on in amusement as Ruby walked over to her father and held her arms out for him.

Ross took the hint and picked the little girl up.

"Never thought I'd ever see that," Charlie whispered to Joey as they watched Ross walk with Ruby around the room while they chattered away to each other. "Think I should take Ruby to work so she can have the same affect on my suspects."

Joey smiled for the first time since her dart had hit the wrong target. Maybe the day wouldn't be so bad after all.

* * *

><p>Lunch had been an entertaining affair, with Ross regaling them with stories of his daughter's childhood antics that left her blushing in embarrassment and Joey and Ruby howling with laughter as Charlie's reputation as the Ice Queen was left in tatters. Once lunch was over, they had retired with their bellies full to the lounge room, where Ross had given Charlie her presents and since he thought it only polite since they were hosting him, he also gave both Joey and Ruby a gift. Ruby had eyed off the chocolates Joey had received before she'd climbed onto Charlie's lap and asked for her to read the book he'd given to her.<p>

Ross felt like his raised eyebrows were in danger of becoming a permanent expression during the day as his daughter continued to surprise him with the way she was so completely relaxed around Ruby. It wasn't just her manner with Ruby that had him raising his brows though. He suspected they were trying to act casual for his sake, but he knew his daughter and so it hadn't taken him long to confirm in his mind, that there was more to their relationship than just being witness and cop or even just being friends. He half hoped he was wrong about his assumptions, for if he was right, then his daughter was risking her career over some woman. In the past, he had never had a problem with Charlie dating women, because whoever she dated had never interfered with her career, until now that is. He didn't want her to throw away everything she'd worked so hard to achieve and all for some woman, though he could certainly understand her falling for Joey. With her gentle brown eyes and beaming smile, Joey was an absolutely lovely young woman with a hint of steel he detected beneath that gentle exterior, while Ruby was a little heartbreaker who had quickly gotten under his guard. Still, he needed to talk to his daughter before she made a mistake that she may one day come to regret.

* * *

><p>Two hours later, Ross finally had his daughter alone and Charlie was finding it hard to contain her worry. Though she had thought they'd been careful, for a while now, she'd become aware of the way her father had been watching her and Joey and so she suspected she knew what was about to come.<p>

"You're making a mistake Charlie," he wasted little time in telling her. "And I can't sit by and not say anything."


	47. Chapter 47

**…2012**

**A few days later**

"Oh, that's lovely," purred Joey.

Charlie smiled as she continued with what she had been doing for the past 10 minutes since she had gotten home from work and that was massaging her wife's feet on her lap. "I warned you about wearing those shoes to work."

Joey cracked open an eye she'd been resting and glared at her wife for yet another reminder on her choice of footwear. "I'm just saying," Charlie said when she caught the glare. "That if you're going to be on your feet all day, then you need to wear comfortable shoes."

"They were comfortable."

"Which is why you can barely walk now," Charlie pointed out gently.

"I'm just not used to standing for so long."

"Other than the state of your feet, how is work going?"

"I'm loving it," Joey replied. It had been her fourth day at work and every day she felt more confident and comfortable in the position. She winced when Charlie's hand brushed against the blister on the side of her little toe. Comfortable except for her feet, that is. "I never realised until I was back at work how much I missed the daily grind."

"I really am pleased to see that you're enjoying it so much."

"Oh I am. It's just so wonderful out there on the water and Aden's even offered to teach me how to drive the boat," Joey said excitedly.

Charlie raised a brow, remembering her own experience in teaching Joey to drive. "I'd better warn him then, about your tendency to speed and impart fear into your passengers."

"Ha, ha," Joey said. "My driving improved quickly, didn't it?"

"Yes, thank god, because there were moments when I truly feared for my life and sanity."

"Wimp," she teased.

"Just you wait until Ruby asks you for driving lessons," Charlie warned her.

"No fear, I'll just point her into the direction of a very responsible police officer who I know can never say no to our daughter whenever she asks for something."

"I can too say no to her."

Ruby chose that moment to walk into the lounge room. She leant with her arms on the back of the couch and watched Charlie massage her mum's feet. "Can you do mine next Charlie?"

"Yes." Charlie's ready agreement to her daughter's request made Joey chuckle.

"What's so funny mum?"

"Nothing. Did you have fun at school today?"

"Yeah, but Xavier is still being a pain."

"What's he doing?"

"Just big noting himself and bragging about how his mum runs the place and that somehow makes him important. I mostly just ignore him, so does Romeo, even though they're related because his dad is Xavier's cousin."

"Is Romeo doing ok when he's at school?"

"He's been sad at times because he worries so much about his mum, but he said she's getting better now, so he's starting to feel better too."

"Maybe you could ask Romeo around for tea one night," Joey suggested. "Help get his mind off things for a while."

"Mum, he's a boy," Ruby pointed out.

"Really, I hadn't noticed," joked Joey. "He's a friend, isn't he?"

"Yeah," Ruby agreed.

"Then it's ok to invite him over and his father might appreciate some time alone. He's had a lot to deal with since his wife's accident."

"Can I invite the others as well then?"

"The others?"

"April and Dex and Indi."

"Indi and Dex, they're Dr Walker's kids, right?"

Ruby nodded. "Can I invite them over on Saturday?"

"Your uncle Darryl is going to be home on Saturday, so why don't you invite your friends around tomorrow after school instead, provided Jack, Bianca and Dr Walker give their permission."

"Thanks mum." She kissed her mum's cheek. "I'll go call them now."

"Now who can't say no," Charlie teased when Ruby skipped from the room to call her friends.

"Oh, shut up," mumbled Joey, much to Charlie's amusement. Joey was now very grateful that she only had a half day to work tomorrow, because having five kids in the house at once was going to have her run off her feet. "Think I might need new shoes," she decided aloud as the massage continued.

"Told you so," Charlie said softly.

"So, my fearless masseur, how was your day?"

"Pretty routine, except for Shauna being a bit of a downer to be around lately."

"It's a shame she and Bianca didn't work out," Joey said, though it hadn't surprised her that much. Bianca still seemed to be pretty hung up on Georgie, but at least she was setting her feelings aside to be there for their friend and Georgie certainly appreciated it. Every day she dropped by for a visit, Georgie looked a little brighter.

"I don't think it's entirely due to being dumped," Charlie said. "Especially since she and Bianca seem to be doing ok as friends in the last couple of days. I think Shauna is just a bit lonely, with it just being her and her mum here and she doesn't really know anyone besides Bianca, outside of work."

"What this town needs for moments like that, is a rocking lesbian bar."

Charlie laughed. "I can just see Colleen's face every time she walked past it."

Joey did an impersonation of her judgemental and horrified look. "Please don't do that again Joey or you'll give me Colleen nightmares," she said with a shudder.

"I think Geoff mentioned something about a club in Yabbie Creek planning a regular _LGBT night, so maybe we could take both Shauna and Bianca there for some fun if they go ahead with the plan."_

Charlie nodded, liking the idea. "Do you think they'd let in an old married couple like us though?"

"Oh please, just flash those baby blues of yours at the door and they'll be pulling us inside."

"Like this?" Charlie said, flashing her baby blues.

"God, you turn me on," Joey said in a husky voice.

Charlie moved so that she was kneeling between Joey's legs on the couch and leaning over, her lips inches from her wife's as she fell into her gorgeous, soulful browns. "You do the same to me baby," she murmured, moments before she crushed her lips to Joey's. Mindful their daughter was nearby, Joey made sure to keep her hands to herself in case they got a little carried away.

"You kiss me like that at the club and they'll be forced to hose us down," Joey whispered when they finally came up for air.

Grinning, Charlie lay down beside her on the couch, snuggling happily into her arms.

"Is it my turn yet?" Ruby asked when she rejoined them a few minutes later.

"In a minute," Charlie told her as she pulled Ruby down on top of them.

"Charlie!" Ruby giggled as she was tickled by both her mums.

* * *

><p>"That guy could just about fly, he's so high on drugs," Shauna joked as she closed the cell door behind him. For most of their day, it had consisted of paperwork, paperwork and more paperwork, until the call had come in about someone causing a disturbance at the diner and they'd arrived just in time to stop this guy from performing a strip tease for everyone there. "And it's a good thing he couldn't find his car keys."<p>

Charlie shuddered at the thought of anyone in that condition getting behind the wheel of a car. "Hopeful when the guy sobers up, he realises how close he came to doing something incredibly dumb."

"So, would you take dealing with guys like this over a house load of kids?" teased Shauna.

"It's not a house load of kids," Charlie replied with a grin. Though right about now, she suspected her poor wife wasn't thinking the same. She knew what a handful Ruby and April could be just when it was the two of them, so add in three more. She glanced back at the cell.

"Yeah, that's what I thought," chuckled Shauna.

"Just wait until you have kids one day."

"I'm never having kids."

"Really?"

"Being a mum has just never appealed to me."

"I was like that, then the Collins tag team walked into my life, turned it upside down and I couldn't be happier."

"Nah, can't see that happening with me," Shauna said. "I just don't see myself having kids at all."

"Oh well, I guess that frees you up for babysitting duties then." This time it was Charlie's turn to chuckle at Shauna's reaction.

They walked back to the reception area, where they found Peter waiting for them. "Charlie, I'd like a word in my office."

She frowned at the seriousness in Peter's voice.

"What do you think that is about?" asked Shauna.

Charlie shrugged. "Guess there's only one way to find out."

* * *

><p>Luckily for Joey, her half day at work had been uneventful and quite relaxing, which turned out to be a very good thing as she was now using the energy she'd save then to survive the kiddie invasion. At times, it had felt like there were hundreds of the little buggers instead of just five.<p>

She watched on in bemusement when Dex came down the stairs in one of Ruby's dresses and started to deliver a monologue on why girls deserved equal rights in the canteen. He really was quite the quirky kid while his slightly older sister was the opposite of her outgoing brother. She gave the appearance of being very prim and proper, yet she certainly had no airs about her and was actually rather shy, especially around Romeo, who was following her around like a lost puppy.

Joey chuckled as Dex now turned to impersonation. It was a good thing her wife wasn't here because his Colleen's impression was far superior to her own and would likely lead Charlie to nightmares, especially in that dress.

* * *

><p>Bianca was sitting on the bed next to Georgie as they both read from the same magazine.<p>

Despite the situation of being in love with a woman who would never return her feelings, Bianca felt good. Ending things before they really got started with Shauna had been the right thing to do and though it still felt ridiculous to have felt guilty for going out with Shauna in the first place, she couldn't deny that since ending it with her, it was as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders and she was now able to relax more around Georgie.

"Oh my god, could you ever imagine yourself wearing that hat?" Georgie asked with a chuckle. She got a tingle every time her arm brushed against Bianca's, just as it did now.

"Not really," Bianca answered. "It would look great on me though," she added with a cheeky smile. "I just wouldn't be able to fit through any doors if I did have it on."

"Especially on top of that over inflated ego of yours," she teased good-naturedly.

They grinned at each other. As she lost herself in Georgie's eyes, it just seemed so natural for Bianca to lean over and press her lips to Georgie's, then to deepen the kiss when her mouth opened invitingly for her.


	48. Chapter 48

**…2007**

_Two hours later, Ross finally had his daughter alone and Charlie was finding it hard to contain her worry. Though she had thought they'd been careful, for a while now, she'd become aware of the way her father had been watching her and Joey and so she suspected she knew what was about to come._

_"You're making a mistake Charlie," he wasted little time in telling her. "And I can't sit by and not say anything."_

"I don't know what you mean," Charlie replied, feigning innocence.

"Don't play the fool Charlie, you know damn well what I mean," Ross said, his voice calm despite his words. "You're my daughter Charlie and the moment I saw you together, I sensed there was more going on here and the longer I watched, the more certain I became that you and Joey are together.

"Shhh, keep your voice down," Charlie hissed at him. "Ruby doesn't know about us yet."

Ross sighed in disappointment. "I was hoping I was wrong."

"We're in love and before you say anything more, it's not just because we are forced to live under the same roof together," she told him. "What Joey and I feel for each other is very real."

"You are aware of the risks involved if this gets out before the trial, aren't you?"

"I'm very aware of that."

"And yet you're still willing to risk your career for this woman?"

"Yes," Charlie stated empathically and without hesitation. "Dad, you put your career first and it cost you your marriage, do you really want the same for me?" she asked. "To have me live the job at whatever the cost to my private life?"

"No," he said. "I have never wanted you to be consumed by work like I was, but I also don't want you risking your career, especially after you've worked so hard to get where you are."

"What's a career worth if all I have to show for it is an empty life beyond the uniform?" she countered. "Dad, since I've been with Joey, I have never been happier and she offers me fulfilment and other things in a way my career never will."

"I guess I'm just not used to seeing this side of you Charlie," admitted Ross. "And I can certainly see why you'd want to be with Joey, she's a beautiful and lovely young woman, but we both know that you've never been remotely interested in children, in fact, you did everything possible to avoid being around children, yet now, it seems like you're ready to settle down and play mum to a five year old child."

"Believe me dad, I never saw this coming, especially if you had of seen how Joey and I used to be around each other at the beginning, so falling in love with her was the last thing I ever expected, but fall in love I did and now, I can't imagine my life without the both of them in it."

Having watched the way his daughter had played with the little girl and her toys, it was like seeing a different woman. He had tried hard to be there for her when her mother died, yet there was always a sadness or something missing with his daughter, but now, as he turned to watch the young mother and child through the doorway to the kitchen where they were preparing afternoon tea, it seemed like Charlie had found a way to fill the emptiness. "This is what you really want?"

"Yes and when this is all over, we intend to move in together and be a family."

"All I've ever wanted was the best for you Charlie and for you to be happy."

"I am happy dad and those two are the best thing that has ever happened to me."

"I can see that." He looked back to his daughter; he'd noticed the way her eyes lit up whenever they landed on Joey and how excited she seemed when she spoke of them becoming a family and he didn't think he'd ever seen her look so excited, not even when she'd been accepted into the Academy. "If this is truly what you want and you're willing to take the risks, then I'll support you all the way."

"Thanks dad," Charlie said with some relief at his response and she gave him a hug. This was more than she'd hoped for. She had expected him to be upset but then in time, hopefully warm up to the idea, so for him to give his support so quickly, was a great Christmas present.

"When do you intend to tell Ruby?"

"As soon as the trial is over."

"What about this Nick guy, does he know?"

"I'm accepting all the risks."

"I take that to mean then, that he chooses to not be aware of how things are between you and Joey."

"Something like that," Charlie admitted. She still really hoped that none of this came back on Nick. "Dad, I didn't go into this blindly, I weighed the pros and the cons but at the end of the day, I love Joey and I love Ruby and that outweighs any cons to my career."

"Well considering your exemplary record up until now, I don't think it would cost you your job should word get out early, but it would be a black mark on your record which would put you at the bottom of any promotions lists and if it affected the case against Pirovic in anyway, you'd have to earn back the trust of your colleagues." He shook his head with a wry smile. "Joey really must be something though, for you to even contemplate putting love before career."

"She is dad." Charlie smiled as she watched her girlfriend. "She's my everything."

Once more, his brow went up at her dreamy tone when she said those words. "Is that what the necklace is about, I'm assuming it's from you."

Charlie nodded. "It was my way of demonstrating my commitment to her."

"Try a ring next time." She stared at her father in surprise. "I'm not saying go out and propose immediately, just that somewhere down the line, if Joey is still the one you want, then a ring is a good way to show your commitment."

"Joey will always be the one I want," she assured her father.

This was his daughter's first serious relationship, so he was still unsure whether Charlie and Joey would last once this situation was over and they were no longer hidden from the rest of the world, but he couldn't deny that he liked the changes that had come over his daughter. She'd always been so serious, even as a child and career wise, she was single-minded, perhaps a little too single-minded, if he was honest and with the way she'd been so set against children, Ross had thought the possibility of grandchildren as extremely unlikely, yet after watching how natural she was with Ruby, he started to wonder. He chuckled suddenly. "This has become quite a Christmas."

"Yeah and I'm so glad Joey talked me around to inviting you to our first family Christmas."

"Family Christmas?" Ross murmured thoughtfully. "I suppose it is a family Christmas and if you're going to be Ruby's other mum, then I guess I'm going to have to get used to being called granddad," he said with a grin.

"You bet. She really is a great kid dad, you'll love her and I'm sure you're going to love Joey when you get to know her better."

"Her aim needs to improve first," he joked and they both chuckled.

* * *

><p>Joey sighed with relief when she saw the matching Buckton smiles as they joined them in the kitchen. After the way she'd caught Ross watching them throughout the day, she'd been worried, especially once Ross had gotten Charlie alone.<p>

With Ruby's back turned to them, Charlie ducked in for a quick kiss. "Dad supports us," she whispered to Joey before moving away. She tried not to laugh at Joey's surprised expression.

"Ruby, how about you let your old granddad show you a few tricks with those nerf toys of yours," suggested Ross with a conspiratorial wink at his daughter.

"Yes please," Ruby jumped up and down with excitement. She'd already decided earlier she loved having a grandfather, but it was even better now that he wanted to play.

The moment they were alone, Charlie had Joey in her arms and was kissing her soundly.

"Wow," Joey murmured appreciatively when they came up for air. "And double wow with your dad."

"Yeah, I'm kind of surprised myself that he accepted it so quickly, but he's only ever wanted me to be happy and you, my dear, make me incredibly happy."

"You make me incredibly happy as well."

"I am so glad I came up with the idea to invite dad here," she cheekily said.

"Hey," Joey slapped her playfully on her arm. "Whose idea was it?"

"Ok, credit where credit is due," Charlie said. She pulled Joey harder against her body.

"Careful what you start Charlie, especially with your father nearby," Joey warned huskily.

"I can't help it, you just make me want you so much." She pressed her lips to Joey's.

* * *

><p>Ross had hung back just to observe them together as a couple for the first time and he was surprised to see how enamoured they both were with each other and it certainly looked very real between them. Maybe they would last long after this, he thought. Well, whatever happened, he just hoped Charlie would finally get some balance into her life and managed to avoid the mistakes he'd made.<p>

"Come on granddad!" Ruby yelled out to him.

He rolled his eyes at the rather rambunctious girl. Christmas this year had certainly offered up some surprises, pleasant ones at that though, he mused as he walked over to Ruby. It might take time to get used to seeing his daughter so in love and being a mother figure, just like he was going to have to get used to being a granddad, but he was rather looking forward to both.

* * *

><p>Her father had left some time ago, so it was just the three of them sitting on the couch, with her sandwiched between the Collins' girls as they watched the Griswold's Christmas Vacation movie. Charlie looked down to where Ruby's head was resting on her lap. Well at least she and Joey were watching it as Ruby had pretty much bombed the moment she sat down, which meant Charlie was able to have her arm around Joey.<p>

At the soft sigh in her ear, Charlie turned her head. Make that both Collins girls down for the count, she thought amusedly. She leant forward and kissed her sleeping girlfriend on the forehead, thinking that right at this moment, life felt absolutely wonderful.


	49. Chapter 49

_I'm not going to have time to write during the coming week, so this is my last update until next weekend. Hope everyone has a Merry Christmas._

* * *

><p><strong>…2012<strong>

Charlie shut the door behind her and stood at Peter's desk. "By your tone and expression, I'm guessing whatever you have to say, is something I'm not going to like."

He waved to the chair. "Please, sit."

She sat down and faced him. "What is going on Peter?"

"There has been an undercover drug operation being conducted in the area," he said. "I was only made aware of it myself earlier today."

"Other departments certainly like keeping things to themselves," murmured Charlie.

"When there's an undercover officer involved, they tend to be even more tight-lipped to help protect their identities, only this time, the officer's cover was blown and this morning, his badly beaten body turned up within a block of the Drug Squad's headquarters in the city."

"Shit, that's what I call making a statement."

"A big statement," Peter agreed. "Doctors say he'll pull through, but there will be long term physical injuries and his career within the Force is over."

"Do they know who did this?"

"They know exactly who ordered it," Peter said. "Proving he ordered it though, is another matter. The injured officer briefly regained consciousness at the scene and named the man who did the actual deed and he was picked up an hour later."

"Let me guess, he's not saying anything?"

Peter nodded. "He's got a hell of a long record, so the DPP is hesitant to do a deal that would see this guy back on the streets and as he's unlikely to name his boss anyway, he'll quietly go down for this, earn the respect of his buddies and no doubt be rewarded for his loyalty when he finally gets out."

"So where do we come into all this, I'm assuming that's why I'm here?"

"It's not quite that simple. The whole operation has been blown at this end, so the DS are moving their attention to the centre, which is in the city," Peter said.

Charlie grew nervous at the way Peter seemed hesitant to continue.

"Then what did you want to talk to me about?"

"The DS made another arrest an hour ago in the city. Now, it's not in relation to the beating, but it is connected to the overall investigation." He paused, then exhaled loudly before continuing. "There's no easy way to say this, so I think I'll just say it. They arrested Brax on drugs charges."

"I'm sorry?" Charlie said, not sure she'd heard right.

"It seems that in the past few months, Brax has gotten himself mixed up with some rather unsavoury types and made himself known to the DS."

"Fuck," Charlie muttered. "He was meant to be coming home tomorrow, so how the hell do I tell Joey this?"

* * *

><p>Bianca had no idea how long the kiss lasted, she didn't really care because it felt absolutely wonderful to finally be kissing the woman she loved, while Georgie was completely lost in the sensation of being kissed by a woman. She was a married woman, so she probably should put a stop to it, yet she felt utterly powerless and chose instead, to give herself completely to Bianca and so the kiss continued.<p>

It was only when Bianca heard footsteps approaching that the reality of what she was doing came crashing down on her and she jumped away in horror. "I am so sorry Georgie, I shouldn't have done that," she stuttered and without waiting to see Georgie's reaction, she turned and fled the room.

Still in a state of shock and confusion, Georgie could only watch silently as Bianca quickly disappeared from sight. She touched her lips. She'd never felt lips so soft as Bianca's and never before had her heart thudded with such desire as when their lips met. Her lips were still tingling. If that was what one single kiss could do to her, she closed her eyes and forced herself to stop imagining more because she had no idea what this meant. As attracted as she was to Bianca, never in a million years did she ever expect Bianca to return her feelings, yet the way she had run from her had Georgie thinking it had all been a terrible mistake.

"Oh god," she muttered, more confused than she'd ever been.

* * *

><p>Charlie still couldn't believe this was happening. "I take it that the drug charges aren't just for possession?"<p>

Peter shook his head. "Brax has been importing more than carpets, rugs and trinkets in his crates."  
>"Fuck."<p>

"I still don't know all the details myself, only that he's been a person of interest for some time now and was arrested during a raid."

"And he's definitely mixed up with the same men involved in bashing that cop?"

"Surveillance photos show Brax meeting with the ring leaders on multiple occasions."

"Who are they?"

"I wasn't told that just yet."

Charlie sighed and looked out the window. "I don't actually know Brax all that well, but from all accounts, he'd moved a long way from his early gang days, so this just seems so out of character, especially from the man Joey describes."

"I agree, it's out of character. I've heard a lot about his gang days from Alf, who always reckoned that Brax kind of fell into the role of leader and he was never really into the whole gang life and culture, unlike his brother."

Charlie's hands tightened into fists at the mention of the other brother. Heath had overdosed and died in jail the previous year, much to Joey's relief as she'd always feared he'd be released one day, but after what he did to Joey, she still felt anger any time he was mentioned in any way.

"So when Tegan got pregnant, Brax was more than happy to use her pregnancy as a way out of the gang life and aside from getting into some trouble for beating the shit out of Heath after what he'd done, he's been a model citizen ever since, even helped keep some of the more unruly kids from going down the gang path, so his arrest is going to come as a shock to just about everyone who knew him. I know I'm shocked," Peter admitted. "I wouldn't call us great mates or anything, but I've shared the odd beer with him down at the pub and I had a lot of respect for him for the way he turned his life around."

"I just don't know how I'm going to tell Joey," Charlie said. "Brax isn't just her big brother, he's the one who looked after her when their mum died and their father took off and he even uprooted his family for Joey when she couldn't stay in the Bay after her attack." It was going to be devastating for Joey, even more so for Casey. He idolised his dad and though their marriage had ended long ago, he and Tegan remained close friends and so she was also going to be left devastated by this.

"All you can do is tell her the truth and just be there for her."

Charlie nodded.

"Look, Brax hasn't said a word since he was arrested, but they've charged him and intend to let him sit in his cell overnight to give him time to think things over, before talking to him again, so if you and Joey want to go see him in the city, I'm sure we can cover your shifts for the next couple of days."

"I hate to leave you even more short staffed than we already are, but I know Joey will want to go, so thank you."

"Why don't you finish your shift early and go home," Peter suggested.

"Avery's due to start his shift in an hour, so I'll wait til then."

"Ok. Charlie, if you or Joey need anything, just ask."

"Thanks Peter."

* * *

><p>Sid had collected his two kids twenty minutes ago and so Joey was now left with Ruby, April and Romeo, who thankfully, had finally started to wind down their hyperactivity and were now sitting quietly in front of the TV, watching a DVD. Sighing with relief at the relative quiet, she put her feet up on the coffee table just as there was a knock on the door.<p> 


	50. Chapter 50

**…2007**

Charlie pushed her chair away from the desk where she'd been browsing the Internet on her laptop for rental properties. That reality wasn't too far away now, with the trial only three days from starting and both she and Joey were literally counting down the hours to when they could finally be together as a proper couple and could tell Ruby they were going to be a family. She smiled as she thought of Ruby. The little girl already believed the four of them were a family but as much as they all cared for Nick, there was no way they were taking him with them when they moved in together, so Ruby would have to get used to their family being one short.

She stood and walked to the door, where Charlie could hear the monotonous tone of Angelo droning on. For the past couple of days, Angelo had picked up where he'd left off just before Christmas and had become like that unwanted family member that had to be there but everyone wished would just leave. He was a necessary evil though as he continued to prep Joey for the grilling she'd no doubt face from the defence and they'd gone over it so often now, that she could just about repeat word for word Joey's responses to Angelo's questions.

Charlie was proud of Joey. She was still nervous about testifying, but there was a steely determination and conviction behind every word in her answers now and she had little doubt that Joey would weather the storm once she was up on the witness stand. And when the jury saw her, looked into those warm, soulful eyes of Joey's, she had little doubt they'd believe her and once she'd testified and the trial was over, their new life could begin.

First, they had to get that far though, Charlie muttered softly. Angelo's constant presence had left them with little time to be alone and Ruby's earlier than usual mornings meant Charlie had had to curtail her nightly rendezvous in Joey's room, so both of them were pretty wired after the enforced separation. That was all about to change though, for tonight, Charlie grinned, for tonight, they planned to bring in the New Year together and even better, they'd be alone, with Ruby sleeping over at Shannon's and Nick out with Lucinda as their on-off-on relationship merry-go-round continued. Smiling as she thought about the coming night, Charlie strode out of the room to join the others.

* * *

><p>Angelo didn't quite snarl when Charlie walked in and sat down beside Joey without being invited to. He'd gotten used to her never being too far away from Joey and he'd be glad when this case was over and he wouldn't have to see her again. "Ok, I think that's enough for today," he said, getting to his feet. "But I'll be back tomorrow to go over a few more things."<p>

"Can't wait," Joey murmured. She really didn't like Angelo's company, there was just something about him that set her on edge and she suspected it would be the same even if she'd met him outside of the case.

Angelo glanced between both women before turning. He flinched when a foam dart bounced off his chest.

"Ruby!" Joey gently scolded her daughter while trying to keep the smile from her face. Her daughter had uncanny aim when it came to her new toys.

"Sorry mum," Ruby said and Angelo didn't think she looked very sorry at all. He loathed children and this brat was particularly annoying. Gritting his teeth, he said his goodbyes and left.

"Ruby, what have I told you about shooting that blaster at people?" Joey said to her daughter after Angelo had gone.

"Only shoot those who are playing," she repeated the often-said mantra.

"Exactly."

"But I don't like him."

"That's no excuse."

"I know."

Charlie grinned at the hangdog look Ruby had perfected. It really was hard to say no or punish the girl when she did that.

"Hand it over," Joey said, holding her hand out. Her girlfriend though, didn't have so much trouble, Charlie thought. Sighing heavily, Ruby handed over her blaster. "You'll get this back at the end of the week, provided you've been good."

"Yes mum."

Her daughter had gotten quite restless lately and she couldn't blame her. They hadn't ventured out much in the past couple of weeks, preferring to play it safe the closer trial day came, which meant Ruby spent most her time here at home or next door with Shannon's kids, which wasn't easy on a young child. "How about we go for a walk to the park?" she suggested and she smiled when her daughter's face lit up.

"Can we go to the pool as well?"

"Let's just start with the park," Charlie said. She had no doubt that as Ruby ran from the room, she'd be putting her bathers on under her clothes. "Should I get the towels?" Charlie asked Joey with a wry smile. The local pool was small and not very crowded, but she wouldn't be swimming, preferring to keep an eye on the girls and the surroundings, just in case.

Chuckling, Joey nodded. Her daughter had been uprooted from their life and while she had been a real trooper about everything, it had been hard for her and so Joey liked to relent at times, even when she played up. Not too much though, but enough to keep Ruby happy.

* * *

><p>Angelo tossed the files onto his desk the moment he was back in his office. Today, he'd felt it again, his senses tingling whenever those two women were in the same room and he wasn't happy. He'd gotten where he was today by being good at reading people, so he had a fair idea of what was going on in that house and with the trial just around the corner, it was now too late to get Joey away from that woman without it causing problems and he wanted nothing to interfere with this case. There was something he could do though.<p>

"Trey," he called out and was pleased when his assistant came scurrying immediately to his call. His assistant was young and had yet to learn to mask his feelings, so Angelo was well away that Trey wasn't his biggest fan.

"Yes sir?"

"I want you to get Const. Buckton's police file."

"Why?"

"Because I fucking well asked you to," he snapped. If Buckton ended up fucking up his case because she'd stuck her dykey fingers where she shouldn't have, he'd destroy her. On second thought, why let her off the hook at all? He smiled as he came to a decision. Little Miss Goodie Two Shoes needed taking down a peg or two, so he'd wait until the verdict was in, then he'd contact her superiors about her unprofessionalism, regardless of whether it had an effect on the trial or not.

Trey's blood ran cold at the smile on his boss' face and he hurriedly left Angelo's office.

* * *

><p>Joey laughed as the cork went flying from the Champaign bottle to land on the other side of the lounge room. Ruby and Nick were gone and the house was now theirs and they intended to enjoy it.<p>

"To the future," they toasted, clinking their glasses together.

Sipping their champers, they smiled at each other as they drank, then without a word, set their glasses aside and moved toward each other, their lips meeting in a searing kiss.

Hands working together, in no time at all, they were soon standing in the lounge room, completely naked.

Joey gasped when Charlie's hard nipples brushed against hers. "Maybe we should head to the bedroom," she murmured against her lips.

"I can't wait that long," Charlie replied, gently pushing Joey back until the back of her legs hit against the armrest of the couch. The floodgates had opened up on their pent up sexual frustration of the past few days and she was now powerless to stop the burning desire that had taken control.

Joey was in an equally aroused state and the moment her girlfriend moved between her legs as she sat on the armrest, all thought at being discovered by an early returning Nick or Ruby was gone and she wanted nothing more than to have Charlie inside her. She wrapped her legs around Charlie's hips, pulling her closer.

Losing her balance, Charlie fell forward, the both of them giggling as they ended up in a tangled heap on the couch. Charlie propped herself up on her elbows and stared into Joey's eyes. "God I love you," she whispered, crushing her lips to hers. She shivered with desire as Joey ran her fingers up and down her back. Without breaking lip contact, they manoeuvred into a more comfortable position.

Joey rocked against Charlie's thigh as her leg nestled between hers. Charlie groaned at the wetness she could feel coating her thigh and she suspected she was just as wet. She moved her hand down and found the little hardened bud that had Joey gasping. "Oh god Charlie," she moaned in pleasure, increasing the thrust of her hips against her girlfriend's leg and the fingers now pressed against her clit.

Charlie sensed her girlfriend was near and quickly pushed one finger, then a second into her.

"Yes," Joey gasped as Charlie's thrusts met hers. Five more thrusts and Joey was screaming out, "Charlie!" as she came hard, her body spasming and bucking against her girlfriend. She loved making love nearly every night, but there was something to be said about making up for lost time when they were forced to hold off, she thought as her body continued to thrust against her girlfriend's unrelenting fingers.

Charlie moved slightly so she could thrust deeper, her thumb now flicking back and forth over Joey's clit. She ducked her head, latching onto a nipple and sucked it hard into her mouth.

"Oh fuck yes," Joey groaned, thrusting her chest harder against Charlie's mouth. The combined sucking and thrusting had her rushing toward her second orgasm, quickly followed by a third. "Yes!" she shouted a fourth time as her body bucked and thrust in concert to the pleasure her girlfriend was giving to her.

Not relenting in the least, Charlie left Joey's nipples and moved down her body, her lips finding the little bud that was still hard and quivering for more. She flicked her tongue over it before closing her lips around it, sucking Joey's clit as she added a third finger inside her. Joey's heat and wetness was amazing against her fingers and mouth as she thrust and sucked her girlfriend to another screaming climax.

Lying in a spent, but blissful mess on the couch, Joey gazed lovingly up at Charlie as her chest continued to heave in the aftermath of her fifth climax, her breathing still coming in pants.

Reaching for the wine bottle, Charlie grinned down at her. "Care for some chilled wine?"

"I'd love…" she gasped as the cold drink touched her nipples.

"Better?" Charlie asked as she licked the wine from her girlfriend's chest.

"Much," Joey panted, feeling her body respond once more to her girlfriend's touch, despite her current weariness.

* * *

><p>They spent the next couple of hours making love, taking the occasional break between pleasuring each other to catch their breath, before starting again. Now as midnight drew near, Joey was sitting up straight on the couch, with Charlie straddling her lap and riding hard against the fingers thrusting deep inside her.<p>

Charlie groaned as she bounced up and down, their nipples rubbing against each other's and Joey's thumb hitting her clit on every downward move. Her movements were becoming more erratic the closer her climax came and she put her arms on the couch behind Joey's shoulders to steady herself as she thrust down hard against her girlfriend's amazing fingers, sending them deep. "Oh god," she panted, her forehead falling against Joey's as their breathing became ragged and a few more hard and deep thrusts had Charlie crying out. "Joey, yes, oh god yes, yes, yes!" she shouted, her orgasm hitting her hard.

The constant brush of Charlie's hard nipples against hers and the sight of her girlfriend bouncing on her hand in such pleasure had Joey following her into climax, both women riding the waves of pleasure together just as the New Year rang in and the fireworks display started on the TV.

"Happy New Year," Charlie murmured, her body coming to rest against Joey's, whose fingers remained buried deep inside her but Charlie was too tired to move just yet.

"A very happy New Year," Joey murmured back, gently nuzzling her girlfriend's neck with her lips.


	51. Chapter 51

**…2012**

_Sid had collected his two kids twenty minutes ago and so Joey was now left with Ruby, April and Romeo, who thankfully, had finally started to wind down their hyperactivity and were now sitting quietly in front of the TV, watching a DVD. Sighing with relief at the relative quiet, she put her feet up on the coffee table just as there was a knock on the door._

Groaning at the interruption to her attempt at relaxation, Joey forced herself to her feet. Thinking of the long soak she planned to take in the tub later, she was hoping it was Bianca or Jack at the door, here to pick up their respective kid. As much as she loved kids, Joey thought she'd have to reconsider looking after a little posse of them all on her own again anytime soon.

"Hey Joey," Bianca said the moment the door was open.

Joey frowned. It wasn't so much her friend's overly cheerful greeting that got her attention, but the rather flushed faced and nervously darting eyes. "Everything ok?" asked Joey.

"Huh?" replied Bianca. She still couldn't believe what she'd done and if everyone else found out, she'd be the scarlet woman who made a move on a happily married woman. "You fool Bianca," she scolded herself, momentarily forgetting that Joey was still awaiting an answer.

"Bianca?"

"Oh sorry," Bianca said, shaking off the distracting thoughts. "It's been a long day and my mind is going off in all directions."

"Would you like a cuppa before you leave?" offered Joey.

"Thanks Joey, but I," she stopped in her tracks when she spied Romeo with April and Ruby and she was hit with even more overwhelming guilt. Georgie wasn't just a wife, she was also a mother and so she had no right to force her attentions on someone like she had and potentially cause problems for a family who had already endured hell with Georgie's fight for life after the accident.

"Come into the kitchen," Joey said, steering Bianca that way and she was too distracted again to stop her.

* * *

><p>"Thanks dad," Charlie said. The moment she'd left Peter's office, she'd placed a call to her father and asked him to check on things with Brax and he'd just called her back. Unfortunately, he wasn't able to find out much more than they already knew because those involved in the case were keeping pretty tight lipped, but what her father had found out, wasn't good. It had been hard drugs that he'd been caught bringing into the country, so Brax was facing a lengthy jail term and if he continued to remain silent about those higher in the organisation, then the DPP was looking to go after him even harder.<p>

"I know things are bad Charlie, but we'll get him a good lawyer."

"It's more Joey I'm worried about," Charlie replied. "It's going to break her heart to find out her brother was mixed up with drugs and that all the hard work he'd done to turn his life around has amounted to nothing. How do I tell her that dad?"

"Tell her everything you know and remember that as upset as Joey will no doubt be, she's a remarkable fighter and a strong woman, one of the strongest people we've both ever met."

"You're right, she is."

"She'll deal with this Charlie, especially as she has her family by her side to support her." After that first meeting, he'd come to care for Joey a lot, so much so, that he regarded her as a daughter and had been immensely relieved when they'd worked through their marriage troubles to become an even stronger couple.

"I just wish it wasn't necessary for her to deal with anything like this," Charlie murmured. "But we can't change anything now, so I suppose we should start dealing with it by looking for a lawyer for Brax."

"Look, why don't you concentrate on Joey and let me take care of the lawyer," he offered. "I know just the person for the job, so I'll have the lawyer and the spare room ready for your arrival."

"You're the best." She looked up when she saw Avery walk past the door. "Dad, I should get going."

"Take care Charlie."

"I will and I'll see you shortly." Charlie put the phone down. Her father was right, Joey was strong and would deal with this, but she still didn't relish telling her. "I wish I had Joey's strength," she murmured with little humour.

* * *

><p>Joey waved the coffee under Bianca's nose, trying to get her attention. "Earth to Space Cadet Scott," she teased.<p>

Once again, Bianca was forced to push aside her thoughts and try to concentrate on Joey. "I'm really not good company, so I probably should just take April and go home," said Bianca.

"There's obviously something on your mind and I'm your friend, so unload on me."

Before she could stop herself, Bianca did just that. "I know you probably hate me now and want to end our friendship and I understand," she rambled on after she'd told her about the kiss. "I swore I would respect Georgie's marriage and that I would never break my 'never make a move on someone already in a relationship' rule, yet I did, so I completely understand if you hate me right now," she carried on. "Because I'm sure Georgie does and is so incredibly embarrassed about what I did and wants nothing more to do with me."

"Whoa, slow down," Joey told her. When Bianca was finally silent, Joey rested her elbows on the table and leaned forward. "You kissed Georgie?" she whispered.

Bianca nodded. "I fucked up Joey," she said sadly. "Things were going great, too great it seems, because for a moment, I forgot the reality of the situation and let my heart rule my head and I so totally stepped over a line I never should have and now I've probably fucked up my friendship with you, Charlie and most definitely Georgie."

"You haven't fucked up our friendship Bianca," Joey assured her. "I can understand about being caught in a moment and knowing how strongly you feel for Georgie, I guess it's no surprise that you finally succumbed to your feelings." Considering what had happened between her and Belle, she could hardly judge her and seeing how cut up her friend was, she suspected the guilt she felt would be punishment enough if Bianca thought she needed to pay for the mistake she'd made. "How did Georgie react?"

"I don't really know, because as soon as I realised what I'd done, I just got the hell out of there."

"Bianca, you cannot just leave things like that."

"I can't go back," Bianca hurriedly said. "I just can't."

"You need to explain things to her," Joey said. "She's your friend and."

"Joey, I can't do the friendship thing with her anymore," Bianca interrupted her. "I have never felt this strongly for another woman before and I can no longer be in the same room with her without wanting to kiss her again." She closed her eyes, recalling the moment. "Especially after that kiss, it was amazing Joey, it felt like it went on forever and everything felt so natural."

Joey's eyes widened at the dreamy look suddenly gracing her friend's face before it turned to a frown as something occurred to her out of the blue. "Who broke the kiss?"

"I did," Bianca replied quickly. "Why?"

"No reason," Joey said, but her mind was ticking over. If Bianca was the one who broke the kiss, then Georgie didn't seem to be that upset or angry about it, unless she'd just been caught so completely off guard and hadn't known how to respond but if Bianca's expression moments ago was anything to go by, then it had been a hell of a kiss. She thought back to the way Georgie used to act whenever Bianca was around; she became shy, quiet and tongue-tied. Not exactly out of character for her shy friend, but she'd remained that way with Bianca for some time, even after they'd all become friends and spent a lot of time together. Could it be that Georgie's reaction was because she was in some way attracted to Bianca? "Shit," she thought, wishing Shannon was here because she read people so easily and was rarely wrong about them.

So what if the attraction was mutual? What a mess that could create. She wanted her friends to be happy, yet one of them was married. To a cheat, she reminded herself, before she sighed. She still wasn't sure if it had been Jack that night, she wasn't sure about Georgie's feelings for Bianca, she really wasn't sure about anything so it might be best to just stay out of it. Except Bianca looked so heartbroken. She reached a decision. It was up to them to sort it out, but that couldn't happen if they didn't talk things through. "Talk to her Bianca," she told her.

"I can't," she said, shaking her head adamantly. "I need to avoid her or I'm never going to be able to move on." Bianca got to her feet. "Thanks for the coffee and talk, but I really should get April and go home."

"Bianca," Joey called after her.

"Joey, please just forget I said anything today."

"I wish I could," she muttered. She really hoped Bianca changed her mind and at least went to explain things to Georgie or this could blow up into one big mess with her and Charlie caught in the middle. It also didn't help that Charlie worked with both Georgie and Jack. "Why did I have to go and stick my nose in?" she wondered with a roll of the eyes.

* * *

><p>Jack had come to pick up Romeo just as Bianca was leaving with April and her poor friend had looked like a deer caught in the headlights and pretty much bolted, leaving an amused Jack in her wake. He'd jokingly asked if he'd worn the wrong aftershave and all Joey could do was shrug her shoulders. Now, with Ruby upstairs and the other kids all gone, she was finally alone to think things over and it was leaving her with a real quandary. As much as Bianca wanted to, there was no way she could avoid Georgie forever and the more she tried to, the more suspicious it might seem to some people, especially as everyone was aware that they'd become such good friends and that Georgie really needed her friends at a time like this. Bianca's guilty reaction to Jack also wouldn't help if suspicions started to be raised.<p>

Joey still didn't want to interfere directly but she could hardly sit by and let her friends fall apart without trying to at least get Bianca to change her mind about avoiding Georgie. Hearing her wife's car pull up into the driveway, Joey wandered if she should say something to Charlie or not about this.

One look at her wife when she walked in the door and Joey immediately knew something was wrong. "Charlie, what is it?"

"It's about your brother."

And with her next words, Joey forgot all about her friends and their problems.


	52. Chapter 52

**_…2008_**

The lovely way they'd brought in the New Year felt like a lifetime ago now that trial day was here, Joey thought as she stared out of the bedroom window. She jumped when arms wrapped around her waist from behind but relaxed the moment she felt gentle lips on her neck.

"Easy there," murmured Charlie.

"Sorry, I'm just nervous."

"I know you are, but you are ready for this Joey," Charlie assured her. "You're so prepared you could sleepwalk your way through the trial."

Joey snorted. "Sleeping through the trial sounds good."

Charlie turned Joey around to face her. "I can't be with you up on the witness stand, but I'll be in the courtroom, so if you need me, just look for me and I'll give whatever support I can with just a smile, not that I think you'll need it." She tapped Joey on the nose. "You can do this, Joey."

"I just want it to be over with."

"Hopefully your testimony will be over today or tomorrow at the latest, then we can come home and start to really plan our future for when the rest of the trial finishes in a few weeks or so and then we can finally be a normal couple."

"I just wish we could actually be together as a proper couple while we wait for the trial to end though."

"I know we still have to keep us a secret until the verdict has been read and things die down a bit, but I'm just grateful that the moment you give your testimony, there's no reason for Pirovic to come after you and so the danger to you is gone and for that, I'm happy to put up with a few more weeks of keeping our relationship quiet."

It was going to be such a relief to have the danger to Joey gone, Charlie thought, but they weren't there just yet. Three more police officers were due to arrive shortly, two of whom would accompany them to the courthouse, because if Pirovic was going to make a move against Joey, he'd need to do so today and their arrival at the courthouse would present the best opportunity for that to happen, hence the extra security. The third officer would be next door with Ruby. Joey had wanted to keep Shannon out of it all together, but their friend had insisted that it would be better for Ruby and the officer to stay with her rather than leave Ruby alone with a stranger. In the end, it was a relief for Joey to have Shannon there for her daughter as it meant one less thing she had to worry about today.

"And another thing," Charlie said. "Once the danger is no longer there anymore, then there's no need for police protection and so," she brushed her lips over Joey's. "Nick won't need to stick around here." Since they'd both let the leases run out on their old places, the Police Department was letting them stay in the safe house until they found other accommodation, which also gave them both a legitimate reason to stay together under the same roof until they were ready to come out in public about their relationship.

"The house all to ourselves," Joey murmured with an appreciative and suggestive smile.

"Well, once Ruby is in bed, then it will be just the two of us." Their lips met briefly again. "We should stop this before we get carried away," Charlie said.

"Good idea." Joey stepped back and her eyes widened, her heart fluttered and a knowing heat settled between her legs as she finally took in the sight before her. She'd been so angry the first time she'd met Charlie that she hadn't taken the time to appreciate just how stunning and hot she looked in her police uniform and now that her girlfriend was in her uniform for the first time since that day, she was making up for that earlier lack of observation.

The telltale flush rising in Joey's cheek and her blatant ogling had Charlie smirking. She was well aware of the effect her uniform had on women and she was more than happy to see that her lover was not immune. She leant in. "If you do get nervous on the witness stand, just imagine me out of this uniform and naked," she whispered.

"Oh god," Joey moaned, her face now fully flushed.

"On second thought," chuckled Charlie. "That might leave you without the power of speech which might not go down well in court."

Joey could only nod as the image of Charlie in uniform warred with naked Charlie or maybe Charlie in uniform stripping down to naked Charlie, now that was something she could enjoy.

One look at Joey's expression told Charlie that she wasn't thinking of the trial and that pleased her, even if Joey's mind was only off the trial for just a minute or two.

"Thank you Charlie," Joey said suddenly, throwing her arms around her. "I never could have gotten through this without you."

"Once, those would have been the last words I'd ever have expected to hear from you."

Joey stepped back again. "I was pretty horrible to begin with, wasn't I," she said with a wry smile.

"You had good reason to be angry at the situation you found yourself in and I certainly didn't help matters with my total lack of compassion or understanding."

"It's nice to see how far we have both come from those early days."

"And how often we've both come," Charlie couldn't resist adding cheekily. "Especially on New Year's Eve."

A polite cough at the door had them both turning and facing a grinning Nick. "The others are here," he informed them and promptly left them alone, chuckling softly as he did so.

Blushing furiously, Joey buried her head against Charlie's shoulder. "You think he heard that last bit?"

"Oh yeah."

Sighing as her appointment with the witness stand drew ever closer, Joey stood straight and grabbed both of Charlie's hands, letting them swing between them. "Well, this is it."

* * *

><p>Constable Graves, Charlie hadn't caught her first name, and Snr Constable Joel Nash had taken the front seat of the squad car while Nick had joined her and Joey in the back, which Charlie was grateful for, because with the other two having their backs to them, it made it so much easier for her to be able to hold Joey's hand during the drive to the courthouse. Now, feeling Joey tense up as the car slowed to a stop in the alleyway at the side of the courthouse, Charlie squeezed her hand. "Everything is going to be fine," she assured her.<p>

Joey smiled at her, trying to get back some of the confidence which kept deserting her today.

"You three stay in the car while Graves and I have a look around," Joel instructed them as he and Graves got out of the car.

"Those two aren't big on conversation, are they?" Joey noted in an effort to get her mind off other pressing matters. Other than introductions and giving them a brief explanation on what he expected from them until they were safely inside the courthouse, those were the only words Joel had spoken to them and they'd only received a nod from Graves.

"They may be on the quiet side but they're very good at their jobs," Nick said. "Joey, I know you're nervous, but you're going to be ok in there. You know what you saw that day and that's all you have to tell the court." They all knew the defence wouldn't make it quite so easy, but Joey appreciated his words of encouragement, nonetheless.

Charlie wished she could give her girlfriend a big hug but they couldn't risk somebody seeing them, so she squeezed her hand again. "And remember, you're not alone in this, I'll be in there with you and so will Nick."

"I'm not going to picture either of you naked to help me relax up on the witness stand though," she joked.

Chuckling, Charlie patted the back of Joey's hand.

"It looks like we're ready to go in," Nick said when Joel waved at them.

Getting out of the car, Charlie was immediately alert, her eyes scanning every possible hiding location, before she held her hand out to Joey to help her out of the car.

"Please let this be over with today," muttered Joey as she took Charlie's hand and joined her on the footpath, where after a quick comforting squeeze, their hands parted as they resumed the role of witness and cop instead of girlfriends.

With Charlie and Nick either side of her and the two other officers stepping in to cover the front, Joey felt like she was in a cop sandwich. She had to admire though, the way all four officers kept their attention on her and the surrounding area at the same time.

The door to the courthouse was barely ten metres away when Charlie heard two popping noises and before she realised what was happening, Joel and Graves were falling to the ground. "Officers down!" she shouted, stepping in front of Joey as Nick immediately called for backup and tried to rush them to the door. It felt like the longest trek of her life, one Charlie didn't finish as another popping noise set her chest afire with pain and she was falling backwards. Joey's terrified cry for her was the last thing she heard before everything became dark.


	53. Chapter 53

**…2012**

After they'd arranged for Aden to take care of Ruby for the night, they had set off within an hour of Charlie returning home. The trip had been mostly silent as Joey struggled to come to terms with her brother's actions. For so long, he'd been her rock and now she was faced with him spending god knew how many years in jail.

"We're here," Charlie said softly as she pulled the car into her father's driveway. She reached over and grabbed Joey's hand. "I wish I could tell you that everything was going to be fine."

"I wish that too but I'm going to have to accept that my brother was up to no good and now he has to pay for it." Joey sighed heavily. "It's Casey I really feel for. He idolises Brax and now he's going to be forced to see his hero as the bad guy."

"Finding out your dad isn't perfect is a hard lesson for any kid to learn," Charlie said. "But for all his faults, Brax loves his son dearly and Casey needs to hold onto that."

Joey nodded. "Speaking of dads, Ross is waiting for us," she said, watching her father-in-law on the porch with some amusement; he seemed torn between giving them some privacy and rushing down to greet them.

"I'm sure dad won't mind waiting a little longer," Charlie said, leaning over and pressing her lips to Joey's. "I love you and I am here for you through all of this."

"I know and I love you for it."

Charlie kissed her again.

"Do you plan on giving him the full show?" Joey murmured and kissed Charlie back.

"You know I can't resist you so don't temp me."

"Except when it comes to having sex with me under your father's roof," Joey teasingly reminded her. "We've never managed to have sex here because you've always been too worried he might hear us going at it."

"That's because my wife happens to be rather loud."

"Me!" Joey said with mock affront. "Said the woman who out yells the fireworks every New Year's Eve."

Charlie chuckled.

"I love the way you take my mind off things," noted Joey, serious again. "Even for just a moment." She kissed her wife, long and slowly.

* * *

><p>Ross' lips twitched when his daughter and daughter-in-law finally made their way up the footpath.<p>

"Hey dad," Charlie greeted her father with a hug.

"It's good to see you Charlie, I only wish you were here under better circumstances."

"So do I."

He smiled when Joey stepped forward and hugged him. "Hi dad."

Joey had said it as a joke one day yet it had stuck and he didn't mind in the least. This young woman had made his daughter happier than she'd ever been and had made Charlie realise that there was more to life than work and so he'd be forever grateful for Joey and Ruby landing in his daughter's life.

"Ruby sends her love," Joey told him. "I only wish we could have brought her with us but with everything going on, we thought it best to leave her with Aden."

"I can understand that," Ross said. "I found a lawyer for Brax and she's a damn good one."

"When can we meet her?" asked Joey.

"She'll meet us at the station tomorrow morning at 10."

"I was hoping to see Brax today."

Ross shook his head sadly. "I'm sorry, only his lawyer is allowed to see him at the moment, but I've pulled in a few favours so that you can see him when he's brought to the station for his interview tomorrow."

"Thanks dad. I hate the thought of seeing him like that but he's my brother and I need to see him."

Charlie put her arm around Joey's waist, giving her a gentle squeeze. "Has he said anything to the lawyer?"

"Brax is remaining stubbornly silent, though that may change when he's forced to spend the night in jail."

"If he cooperates with the police, that might get him a reduced sentence, right?" Joey asked.

"Up until now, your brother has a clean sheet, other than some minor trouble he got into as a teen, so the DPP is willing to offer a lesser sentence, provided Brax cooperates and helps to put the men he works for behind bars." He wasn't sure of the likelihood of that though, especially seeing as how these men thought nothing of having a cop beaten up as a warning and Brax would know the same or worse, could easily happen to him if he talked.

"Have you been able to find out who these other men are?" Charlie asked.

"Most of the investigation is being kept under wraps, including who is involved." Though he had a suspicion it was one of the three organisations causing quite a bit of trouble lately. "But we should be able to learn more about what is going on tomorrow when we go to the station." He bent and picked up their bags. "Let's get you settled inside."

Joey sniffed when they walked into the house. "Is that food?"

"Don't get your hopes up that I finally learnt to cook," Ross said. "I ordered Chinese."

"You need to eat healthier instead of having takeout all the time," Joey gently scolded him.

"I am eating healthier," he replied. "These days I order smaller servings to what I used to."

Joey rolled her eyes. She loved her father-in-law but his eating habits left a lot to be desired.

"Face it Joey, you can't teach an old dog new tricks," Charlie said in a knowing tone.

"Hey, enough of the old dog," Ross said. "I can learn just fine."

"Then the next time I'm here, I'm bringing you a cookbook for beginners," Joey declared.

"Good, I need another paper weight for my desk," Ross replied.

* * *

><p>They'd all made a conscious effort to avoid talking about the reason they came to be staying with Ross, instead, they chose to spend tea catching up on other things, then after an early nightcap, Joey and Charlie had a quick shower before climbing into bed, where Joey was now snuggling her wife under the covers, her lips nuzzling Charlie's neck while her hand teased across her belly under her nightie, slowly inching higher.<p>

"Joey," Charlie warned, her breath starting to come faster as her desire started to rise with every touch of her wife's lips and hand. "Dad is still up."

"I know," Joey said, biting playfully on her earlobe and eliciting a loud moan from Charlie. "We can be quiet."

"No we can't," Charlie gasped out as a warm hand cupped her breast and tweaked her nipple.

"Sure we can," her wife stated, crushing her mouth against Charlie's and cutting off any more objections.

"Fuck," Charlie murmured when strong fingers slid through the wetness already between her legs. At least with Joey's mouth over hers, her cries and moans of pleasure were dulled to what she hoped was an acceptable level, she thought, but when those fingers slipped inside her, suddenly she didn't care how much noise she made. Her hips rose and fell to meet every thrust from Joey, oblivious to the creaking of the springs the bed made with every movement, needing only to feel those fingers deep inside her.

"Oh god," she cried out as her climax hit her.

When she settled back down, she glared at Joey, who was grinning innocently at her. "You just had to take your mouth away at the last moment, didn't you?"

"I needed to come up for air," Joey explained.

"Why, you," Charlie said, pouncing on her and making her shriek with laughter as she tickled her relentlessly.

A minute later, Charlie was propped up on her elbow as she gazed down at her wife while Joey smiled back up at her. "If dad heard any of that, it was the TV on too loud."

"If that's how you want to play it, then fine," Joey said. "But I'm pretty sure he knows we're adults and that we have sex."

"Of course he knows that, but I don't think any parent wants to hear proof of it, just like no kid wants to hear their parents getting it on."

"It's a good thing Ruby sleeps like the dead or we could have some explaining to do," joked Joey.

Charlie blushed. "Oh god, that is not a subject I want to discuss with our daughter."

"Except we are going to have to have the Talk with her one day."

"I'm pretty sure I'm going to be busy whenever that day comes along, so feel free to have that talk without me."

Joey chuckled. Charlie said pretty much the same thing every time they spoke of Ruby growing up and learning about the birds and the bees, but she knew that despite Charlie's protests, she'd be by her side when the time was right to give Ruby the Talk. "God I love you and the way you make me feel," she said, growing serious again. It had been nice to forget about everything for a time, but now reality was hitting back.

"I'm always going to try my best to make you feel better, whatever is happening."

"I know." She held her arms open and Charlie settled into them, her head on Joey's shoulder. Joey kissed the top of her head. "Just holding you like this makes me feel better."

"Makes me feel pretty good too," Charlie murmured, relaxing completely into her wife's arms.

"My Charlie security blanket," Joey said softly.

"Always."

She wasn't sure she'd sleep, but Joey closed her eyes anyway and just let herself feel the love radiating from her wife. In no time, the warmth and security she felt from Charlie allowed her to drift into asleep.


	54. Chapter 54

**…2008**

"Ow," Charlie complained with a wince when the doctor kept prodding her ribs.

"You were lucky that you were wearing Kevlar or it could have been much worse."

They all had been wearing Kevlar, including Joey and Charlie was extremely grateful that out of all that pandemonium earlier, all she had ended up with was a softball size bruise to her chest and a bump on her head from when she fell to the ground. She winced at another prod. As uncomfortable and painful as the bruise was, the doctor had been right that it could have been far worse if she hadn't had the vest on, though not all of them had gotten off so lightly. Like her, Joel Nash had escaped with a few bumps and bruises, but Andrea Graves, as she'd finally remembered her first name, hadn't been so lucky. The bullet had ricocheted off her vest and struck her in the neck and last she had heard, which had been over three hours ago, it was touch and go as to whether Graves would pull through or not.

"How is Const. Graves?" she asked the doctor when he finally ended his examination of her.

"The constable is still in surgery and that's all I know right now."

"What about me, can I go?"

His lips twitched at her sudden enthusiasm to getting out of here. "The only patient worse than a cop is a doctor," he murmured. "I would suggest that you spend the night in hospital so we can keep you under observation for a possible concussion, but I have a feeling I'd be wasting my breath."

"Don't worry doctor, I'll keep an eye on her," Joey said as she walked into the room.

"Joey!" Charlie cried out and jumped to her feet with a grimace of pain. She hadn't seen her girlfriend since this had all happened.

Joey rushed to her side and threw her arms around her. "I would have been here sooner but those idiot colleagues of yours wouldn't let me go until I'd given a statement and the scene was secure."

Charlie could feel her girlfriend shaking in her arms. "Hey, I'm ok," she said soothingly, ignoring the pain of her bruise while she held her girlfriend. Not wanting to intrude on what was obviously a private moment, the doctor made a silent exit.

"Even knowing you wore the vest, I was still so scared when I saw you go down," Joey said in a halting voice and then she glared at Charlie.

"Ow," Charlie said for the second time in as many minutes and clutched her arm where Joey had hit her. "What was that for?"

"For stepping in front of me like that," Joey replied. "What the hell were you thinking!"

"That I had to protect you at any cost," Charlie said evenly. She could see and hear the fear that her girlfriend was still struggling to deal with. "Joey, you mean the world to me and when I realised what was happening, it wasn't just my training that took over, it was also the fear that I could lose you forever that made me move in front of you."

"What about my fear about losing you forever?" countered Joey.

"If our situations had been reversed, what would you have done?"

"Stepped in front of you," Joey said without hesitation and she smiled wryly. Charlie held her arms open and Joey gratefully stepped into them. "It's all such a blur," she murmured as she snuggled against Charlie. "People just seemed to be falling down everywhere and there was all this shouting and panic."

"I'm just glad you're ok."

"Thanks to Nick," Joey said. "Who I owe not just my life, but a huge apology for letting him have it when he dragged me away from you and into the courthouse."

"Oh, what did you do?"

Joey's face flamed red. "I swore at him like a banshee."

"I'm sure Nick understood you were scared and worried at the time and has already forgiven you," Charlie said.

"Are you laughing?" Joey asked and moved out of Charlie's embrace.

"I'm just picturing my gorgeous girlfriend turning into a foulmouthed banshee."

"Just imagine our early days of dislike and times it by a 100," Joey said. "It really isn't a pretty sight."

"I think you'd be pretty whatever you were doing."

Joey ducked in and brushed her lips over Charlie's. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"For making me forget my anger and fear just then."

"We're both safe now Joey."

She nodded. "I feel so bad about Graves though," she said. "She's in surgery because of me and we never even had any sort of real conversation with her."

"Joey, Graves was just doing her job."

"The same job you do."

Charlie gathered her into her arms again. "I wish I could deny the dangers of my job to you, but I can't." She tilted Joey's head up and looked deeply into her eyes. "I can promise you though, that I will always take every precaution possible so that I can come home safely to you and Ruby."

"Just my luck to fall in love with a cop," Joey murmured. "I can't pretend that I'm not going to worry when you're at work."

Charlie nodded in understanding and pressed her lips softly to Joey's. "I love you," she whispered.

"I love you too," Joey whispered back and with the sound of approaching footsteps, they separated.

"So what happens now?" Joey asked her girlfriend. "With the trial and all that?"

"There is no trial anymore," a voice from the doorway said. "At least not where Pirovic is concerned."

Charlie stared in surprise at her boss' words. "Joey, you remember my boss, Sgt Williams?"

"Yes," Joey said, glad she had never slapped him as she'd slapped Charlie during their first meeting, because he was a rather intimidating looking guy.

"What did you mean Sarge, about there being no trial?" Charlie asked him.

"Jake Pirovic is dead," he said and went on to explain how when Pirovic realised his chance to silence Joey was gone and knowing he'd be facing further charges, he'd changed his plea to guilty, but before he'd had a chance to make any further statement, he'd been stabbed to death by another inmate while in holding at the courthouse. "I guess those he worked for were worried his guilty plea was part of a deal for a lighter sentence if he talked about the organisation, so rather than take that risk, they staged their own little assassination."

"Then it really is all over?" Joey asked in a hopeful voice.

"You don't have to testify any more Joey," Charlie said. "That means you're safe."  
>"Charlie's right," Williams added. "You have no one to testify against and you have nothing that can harm the organisation Pirovic was a part of, so for you, it's all over."<p>

Charlie felt a sliver of alarm as she detected from his words, that it wasn't yet all over for her.

"Oh thank god," Joey said, almost sagging with relief as the burden she'd been carrying since she'd witnessed that murder was suddenly lifted from her shoulders and she really wanted to hug Charlie right then, but she didn't think it was such a good idea in front of her boss, at least not just yet.

"Miss Collins, I wanted to thank you for your courage in coming forward and agreeing to testify. I know it wasn't easy for you and your daughter to be uprooted as you were," Williams said. "And I know today has been a harrowing time for you, but it's all over now and you're free to go."

Joey heard the dismissal in his voice but she hesitated. At a nod from Charlie, she reluctantly left the room.

Williams closed the door behind her and turned to face Charlie.

"What happened after I went down?" Charlie asked, seeking a delay to whatever he was going to say. "Did they get the shooter?"

"Since Miss Collins location had been such a closely guarded secret, today at the courthouse was always going to provide the only real opportunity for Pirovic to make any move against her, so Detective Robertson had police snipers stationed on the roof of each building around the courthouse and a heavy presence of officers on the ground just in case anyone did try something," Williams said. "Only Pirovic's man had set up the night before in an apartment a few floors down from the roof of the building that gave him a perfect view of the front and side entrances to the courthouse, which meant he was already there and waiting before Robertson even placed his men. Once the first shot had been fired, they rushed to the shooter's location, but by the time they found the right apartment, he'd been able to fire a few more shots and make his getaway."

"He got away?" a disappointed Charlie asked.

"He got as far as the car he had waiting for him, only Robertson had beaten him to it," Williams said. "Both the shooter and driver were arrested without any further incident."

Charlie closed her eyes, feeling the relief. That man had tried to kill the woman she loved and may have succeeded if not for their vests and Nick getting Joey to safety, and if he had gotten away, she never would have been able to rest until he had been brought to justice, so thanks to Robertson, it really was over, at least that part was.

"You did good today, Charlie," he told her.

"I just did my job."

"And it's a job you do very well, which is why this isn't easy for me to do," Williams said and her heart sank. "Charlie, Angelo Rosetta has made some serious allegations against you."


	55. Chapter 55

**…2012**

Once she'd gotten to sleep snuggled against her wife, Joey had ended up having a surprisingly restful sleep, but now that they were pulling into the car park to the police station, her worries were renewed. Charlie squeezed her hand, offering a smile of support. Joey took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Ok, let's do this."

* * *

><p>"That must be the lawyer," Charlie said of the rather formidable looking woman standing with her father.<p>

"She looks scary," noted Joey as they made their way toward them.

"In a lawyer, scary can be a good thing," Charlie told her wife. "Especially if the lawyer is on your side."

"I hope you slept well," Ross called out, making Charlie blush. After last night's louder than planned sexcapades, she'd been rather relieved to find her father had already left for work by the time she and Joey had woken up.

"We slept just fine," Joey called back, with a knowing wink at Charlie.

"Behave," Charlie whispered to her.

"You never say that in the bedroom," Joey whispered back.

Charlie was saved from any further potential embarrassment by her father introducing them to the woman beside him. "Charlie, Joey, this is Morag Bellingham, the lawyer I found for Brax."

Joey stared at the redheaded lady with the stern look, recognition at the name slowly dawning on her. "You're Sgt Stewart's sister, aren't you?"

Morag nodded. "And you're little Joey Braxton."

"You two know each other?" Ross said in surprise, while Charlie's eyes bounced between the two women before settling on the older woman.

"No," replied Joey. "We've never actually met, but the Stewart family is prominent in the Bay area, so I've heard a lot about Mrs Bellingham."

"Joey was just a child and still living in Mangrove River when I moved away from Summer Bay," Morag said. "But my brother has spoken fondly of both Joey and Brax over the years and so when you came to me, I was happy to take Brax's case."

Charlie was still staring at her. "You're Colleen Smart's sister?" she finally said.

The corner of Morag's mouth twitched; it was a common response to those who learned who her siblings were. "We share part of the same blood, but not much else, so you don't need to worry about any Colleen type judgemental comments coming from me." She looked at Ross. "And I'm sorry, I probably should have mentioned I knew of the Braxtons, but as I've never met either of them, it didn't really seem all that relevant."

"It's fine," replied Ross.

"Dad, how did you end up hiring Mrs Bellingham?" asked Joey.

Morag's brow rose at the 'dad' reference from Joey, though she shouldn't be too surprised with the way Ross had spoken of both Charlie and Joey in the last day.

"Simple," Morag answered for him. "He wanted the best, so he came to me."

"And I should know she's the best," Ross said. "Because I've occasionally been on the receiving end of her skills in court. Charlie, you would probably know her better as Battleship Bellingham."

"Oh my god, yes I do," she said. "Thankfully though, I've never been involved in any cases you were on, but I'm well aware of your reputation."

"A well earned reputation," Ross said. "And so is her nickname because she's sunk many a case over the years."

If Charlie didn't know any better, she'd swear that Morag was flushing at the words from her father.

"Is it still ok to see Brax today?" Joey asked of Ross.

"I had everything organised for that to happen Joey, but," Ross glanced at Morag.

"Brax doesn't want to see you," she finished for him.

"What!"

"He doesn't want to see anyone, Joey," she explained.

"But I'm his sister," Joey said with a slightly quavering voice.

"Exactly," Morag said gently. "Joey, he feels like he's let you and everyone else down and right now, he doesn't think he can cope with jail if those he cares about see him caged up."

Charlie put her arm around Joey as her shoulders slumped. "Give him time Joey," she advised. "I'm sure he'll eventually agree to see you, just not now."

"Charlie's right."

Joey reluctantly nodded. "Did he say anything else?"

"Not to the police, but Brax has spoken to me about his activities and has given me permission to fill you in."

"Why don't we head over to the café across the road," suggested Ross. "And Morag can tell us what Brax has told her."

* * *

><p>With coffees ordered, Joey sat by her wife's side as Morag started from the beginning, explaining how after a few bad months, Brax had been in danger of losing his business when a friend of his hooked him up with a company that wanted to hire him to import trinkets and have them shipped along with Brax's shipments, because his rugs and carpets offered a good buffer to keep the trinkets from breaking.<p>

"At first," Morag said. "The shipments were legit and when he'd proven himself a reliable man, Brax was then paid to bring in larger shipments and everything was going along just fine. His business was starting to thrive again and he liked the new people he was working with, but then one day, a crate was accidentally damaged and Brax discovered the drugs. He wanted to go to the police, but everything was in his name and by then, he realised he was in too deep and it was not long after that when he discovered just who he was in business with."

"Why didn't Brax come to me when his business was in trouble?" queried Joey. "I could have helped him out." They still had plenty left over from the reward money and she would have been more than happy to give it to her brother after everything he'd done for her over the years.

"Brax is a proud man and for so long, the provider and he really thought he could get himself out of the financial crisis he was in," explained Morag. "Unfortunately, he ended up getting mixed up with the wrong people and didn't see any way out of it."

"And now he's in jail while they're still roaming around, free to do as they please," Joey said angrily.

"If Brax cooperates with the police, then they'd probably be behind bars with him," Morag pointed out.

"But he's not cooperating," Joey muttered. "Does Brax know he'll get a reduced sentence if he talks?"

"Yes, but Brax believes the only way to protect his family is to keep his silence and considering who these men are, he's probably right," she said. "The Sharpes are very dangerous men."

Charlie caught her breathe. She'd heard about the father and son team who were suspected of being behind a major organisation involved in drugs, prostitutes and protection rackets and even if only half of what was said about them was true, they were definitely not the sort of men you wanted as an enemy.

"And with the recent bashing of an undercover officer, the police are even more determined to bring the Sharpes down, which is why the prosecutor is playing hardball; if Brax won't help them, then the prosecutor will seek the maximum prison term and since the charges against Brax are for importing large quantities of hard drugs, then he is facing a very long time in jail."

"Oh god," murmured Joey.

"The police have offered Brax protection, but it's not his own safety that he's worried about and so he's doing the only thing he believes will protect his family and I think everyone needs to accept that."

"I want to be there for him just like he's always been there for me," Joey said.

"Joey, the best thing you can do for him right now, is to give him the space he needs and accept his decision to remain silent."

"Is he even refusing to see Casey?"

"Yes."

"Poor kid." That had to be so hard for her nephew, but she also knew how incredibly hard it had to be for Brax to turn his son away.

"There's something else you need to know," Morag said. "Tegan wasn't as convinced that Brax's silence would ensure their safety, so fearing that she and Casey would be targeted by the Sharpes, she's taken Casey and left town."

"Where to?" Joey asked, concerned for her friend and nephew.

"For the moment, I'm the only one with her new address but if you want to contact her, I'll have her call you or you can send any letters to me and I'll make sure she gets them."

Joey would do anything to protect Ruby, so she couldn't blame Tegan for taking Casey and running, but she was going to miss them and moving to a new place was likely to add extra difficulties to Casey on top of his father's arrest. At least Casey was older than Ruby was when their life had been uprooted, but she knew from personal experience that leaving everything behind and going into hiding was hard.

"Joey, I'll keep you apprised of everything going on with Brax, but right now, there's nothing more for you to do here."

"I can't believe I have to leave without seeing my brother," she murmured unhappily.

Charlie held her hand. "It can't be easy for Brax to push you away."

"But I have to let him do it," Joey said. "At least for now."

* * *

><p>Charlie waited by the door of the café with Morag and her father while Joey went to the toilet.<p>

"Charlie," Morag said. "Brax has a message for you."

"He does?"

"He says you're the best thing that has ever happened to his sister and he wants you to take good care of Joey and Ruby."

Part of her had always believed that Brax would have preferred Joey with someone other than her and so for him to say that, it meant a lot. "Tell him he has my promise that I'll love and protect them forever."

* * *

><p>She had spent the night tossing and turning, her mind refusing to let go of something Joey had said and despite her best efforts, Bianca found she couldn't stay away, nor could she forget that kiss. The more she had thought about it, the more she started to believe that Georgie had kissed her back. Hell, she had even opened her mouth to her, hadn't she? "Shit," she muttered. She'd replayed things so often by now, she was no longer sure what was reality and what was just wishful thinking on her part.<p>

Now, with her standing outside her friend's hospital room, she was about to find out one way or the other. "And if I'm wrong," she thought, "Then I've probably already stuffed up our friendship anyway, so I can hardly make things any worse today, at least I hope I don't." Bianca was close to losing her nerve and leaving when Georgie called out.

"I know someone is there."

Taking a deep breath, Bianca stepped into the room and stopped short. There was a look on Georgie's face when she saw her, a need in her eyes that suddenly propelled Bianca forward and in moments, her lips were on Georgie's once more.

* * *

><p>After saying goodbye to Morag and her father who had to return to work, Charlie and Joey made their way back to where their car was parked.<p>

"Oh my god," Joey said when she saw who was leaning casually against their car. "Nick!" she yelled and flew into his arms.

"Careful Joey, you'll crush me to death," he joked. Of all the people he'd protected over the years, only Joey and Ruby had gotten under his skin and he considered all three of them family.

"It's just so good to see you."

"You too."

"How did you know we'd be here?" asked Charlie when she'd given him a quick hug.

"I've been stationed here for a couple of months now and I heard Brax was going to be here today, so I came in on my day off as I figured you'd be here to."

"A lot of good being here did," Joey muttered. "Brax doesn't even want to see me."

"Yeah, I know," he said. "I'm sorry about everything Joey."

"Do you know what's going on with the investigation?" Charlie asked him.

Nick shook his head. "I'm not privy to the intricacies of the investigation, but I've heard the odd whisper that there is another big deal going down soon and they may finally get the Sharpes."

"Would that help Brax?"

"Joey, the only one who can help Brax is himself, but if the Sharpes are finally caught red-handed, then it might encourage him to speak up."

"Then I hope the bastards are finally brought down."

"Look, how about I take you guys to lunch and we can catch up some and you can meet my new girlfriend," suggested Nick.

Charlie's brow rose. Ever since his marriage to Lucinda had ended, Nick had been playing the field and this was the first time she could recall him using the word girlfriend in relation to any of his dalliances.

Guessing her thoughts, Nick grinned. "This one might be serious."

"Then maybe we should meet her," Charlie said and looked to her wife.

Joey wasn't exactly in the mood for lunch, but it would be a good distraction and she'd like to catch up with their friend, so she accepted his invitation.


	56. Chapter 56

**…2008**

_"You did good today, Charlie," he told her._

_"I just did my job."_

_"And it's a job you do very well, which is why this isn't easy for me to do," Williams said and her heart sank. "Charlie, Angelo Rosetta has made some serious allegations against you."_

"Allegations?" She could think of nothing she had done wrong to warrant any allegations, unless Angelo knew about her and Joey, but how could he? Then she thought of the way she was always by Joey's side and as much as she disliked Angelo, she couldn't fault his ability to read people and situations. They should have been more careful around him, but she had this overwhelming need to protect Joey, especially from the likes of Angelo and of course he would have waited until the trial was over before saying anything; nothing would be allowed to hurt his case or reputation, but as soon as it was safe to do so, he'd pick up the knife and stick it into anyone who dared piss him off. The guy never changed and now she was worried about just how badly he'd painted whatever allegations he was throwing her way.

"Angelo has alleged that you endangered the case by taking advantage of the situation to seduce Miss Collins, that you interfered during his preparation of Miss Collins for the trial, that."

"I never interfered," Charlie barked out to interrupt him. "All I did was sit by her side for support and not let Angelo bully or manipulate her."

"I'm aware of the tactics he employs when it comes to his witnesses and I'm also aware of the antagonistic history between the two of you, so since he hasn't offered anything in the way of proof for his allegations, I'm willing to put this down to some petty attempt by Angelo to get at you, by letting you clear this up by answering one question," Williams said and Charlie held her breath, knowing her time was up. "Did you seduce Miss Collins?"

It would be so easy to lie, but she and Joey were going to have to come out as a couple eventually, only she'd have preferred it to be on their terms, instead of being forced to defend herself against Angelo's nasty interference. "Not the way Angelo seems to be implying," Charlie said. "Joey and I fell in love and it was completely mutual. There was no taking advantage of or some seduction, we just fell in love."

"God Charlie," he muttered. "I was hoping there really was no truth to this and it was just about Angelo being his usual petty and vindictive self."

"I never meant for anything to happen, it just did."

"And if I speak to Miss Collins, she'll confirm that there was no coercion on your part?"

"Of course she will," snapped Charlie. She took a calming breath when she saw his brow go up in surprise at her response. "I'm sorry Sarge, I know you're only following up on allegations that have been made, but I resent the implication that I in any way coerced or took advantage of Joey." She shrugged helplessly, "Neither of us went looking for this, it just kind of happened and I did try to resist my feelings, but they were too strong and I don't regret what has happened between me and Joey."

He surprised her with a chuckle. "You are the last officer I ever expected this to happen to, especially with a small child involved."

"That was my reaction too, but I love them both."

"So, this relationship is serious then?"

Charlie nodded. "We intend to move in together and be a family."

"I take it then, that the plan was to keep quiet about your relationship until the trial was over, then you could be together and that would be it?"

"Yeah, something like that, though I'm not naive enough to not expect some form of reprimand."

"As it didn't affect the way you protected Miss Collins or impact on the trial in any way, I may have been tempted to let it go with a caution, but Angelo has lodged a formal complaint with the allegations and now that you've admitted to the affair, I can't ignore it."

Charlie nodded. She could strangle Angelo for his petty revenge, but at the end of the day, she was the one who knew the risks and took it anyway, while he was just being himself; a vindictive, callous ladder-climbing bastard who will step over anyone in his way. "I understand," she said.

"Be in my office tomorrow afternoon and I'll have a decision for you." He started to turn away from her but paused. "Did Nick know?"

Charlie didn't want to lie but she didn't want Nick to get into trouble either.

"On second thoughts, don't answer that," said Williams. "You've admitted to the affair and are prepared to take the consequences, so I see no need to drag Nick into this."

"Thank you Sarge."

"He's a good officer and I'm sure he would never have let anything interfere with the safety of his charges."

"Nick is one of the finest officers I've ever worked with," Charlie said with all honesty.

"He said much the same about you when I spoke to him the other day. Now, I'll leave you to get some rest after this rather hectic day, but I expect to see you tomorrow."

"Yes Sarge."

"And if you don't object, I'd like to borrow your Joey for a moment so we can clear up a few things," he said. "I have a feeling she won't be far away."

"Just take it easy on her Sarge," she said with a hint of warning in her voice. "This has been hard on her."

"Still protective of her, are we?"

"Always."

"Never thought I'd see the day when Charlie Buckton was so well and truly smitten," he murmured as he left the room.

* * *

><p>Twenty minutes later, Charlie was getting ready to leave the room and go looking for Joey, when her girlfriend walked in and all her worries left her the moment Joey rushed over to her and threw her arms around her, making everything all right, except for the bruise choosing that moment to remind her that she was hurt.<p>

"Oh god, I'm so sorry Charlie," Joey said when she heard Charlie wince and she stepped back from her.

"You don't have to stop Joey," said Charlie. "I can put up with a bit of discomfort if it means hugging you."

"You're hurt Charlie and we can hug when you're better."

"What if I said that holding you would make me feel better?"

"In that case," Joey stepped into her arms and held her gently.

"Much better," murmured Charlie.

"I spoke to Sgt Williams and answered his stupid questions."

"He's just doing his job, Joey."

"Yeah, I know, it was that wanker Angelo who is behind all of this nonsense. Why the hell does Angelo even care, it's not like it affected anything."

"He's not my biggest fan and he hates anything that might endanger his cases and so this was just too good of an opportunity for him to pass up." She kissed Joey's temple. "Our relationship was always going to have to come out into the open anyway, so there was no way to avoid this, I just wish it had been on my terms and without the embellishments of Angelo."

"I'm not sure what makes me happier," Joey said. "That I don't have to testify or that I never have to see that prick Angelo again."

Charlie chuckled. "At least that part of our lives is over now, as is the danger and now that our secret is out, we can be out and proud together."

Joey circled her arms around Charlie's neck. "What about your career?"

"I don't really care."

"Charlie, your career is important to you."

"Not as important as you and Ruby are." She kissed Joey's lips softly. "Look, I'll probably get into some trouble, but I doubt that I'll lose my job." At least I hope I don't.

"And if you do?"

"I'll still have you and Ruby and after taking a bullet in the line of duty, with that sort of publicity behind me, I don't think I'd have too much trouble finding a job outside the police force." Joey had winced at the _taking a bullet _reference. "Hey, I'm ok, Joey."

"I know, it's just that I came so close to losing you."

"Well I'm here now and I am so looking forward to our future together, just the three of us."

Joey smiled at her. "I guess now we can tell Ruby about us."

"Soon, but right now, I want to do this," Charlie said, pressing her lips firmly to her girlfriend's.

"I could stand here all day doing this," Joey murmured against her lips.

"So could I, but we're in a hospital, so we're bound to be interru…" she wasn't able to finish because they were distracted by an excited shout.

"Charlie!" Ruby screeched and left Shannon's side to launch herself at the two women.

Joey caught her daughter just before she crashed into Charlie. "Careful Ruby, Charlie has an owie."

"Are you ok Charlie?"

"I'm just a little sore Ruby."

"Mummy used to kiss my owies better."

"Maybe later, your mum could kiss Charlie's owie better," Shannon said and smirked at the matching blushes on her friends' faces. She had been terrified when she'd heard about the shooting on the news and had worried how she'd break the news to Ruby if the worst had happened, so it had been a massive relief to find out her friends were both safe. "I hope you don't mind me bringing Ruby, but she really wanted to see you."

"It's more than ok," Charlie said and despite her discomfort, she picked up Ruby and hugged her.

"I am so glad you two are ok," Shannon said. "I was really worried for a moment there."

"You weren't the only one," Joey said. "But it's all over now." She quickly filled Shannon in on the latest developments.

"Wow, you've certainly had a big day."

"Yeah, and I think it's time to get my two ladies home," Joey said with a smile to her daughter and girlfriend.

"Can I tell everyone now that you are my other mummy?" Ruby asked Charlie. "'cos it's been so hard pretending."

"You knew?" Charlie said in surprise.

"Well duh," replied Ruby, making her mother and Shannon chuckle. "We live together and you sleep with mummy," she said as if it should be obvious.

"So much for my stealth abilities," muttered Charlie. She set the little girl down and took her hand. "Well then Miss Ruby, how about we all go home and be a family."

"Yes please."


	57. Chapter 57

**_…2012_**

Bianca was in no doubt this time; Georgie's lips had welcomed hers and she revelled in the realisation that she felt something in return for her. Groaning in bliss at the soft lips against hers, Bianca didn't care that she was being selfish by cracking onto a married woman, all she could think of right now, was how wonderful those lips felt and how her heart was throbbing with joy.

When the kiss finally ended, she leant her forehead to Georgie's, speechless until Georgie smiled at her and the words tumbled out. "I love you Georgie."

"You really do?" she murmured with wonder.

"I really do." Bianca kissed her again, short and sweet.

Georgie was so overcome with emotion, she could barely talk and she had to stammer out her next words. "I didn't think you'd ever be interested in someone like me."

"You mean, a kind, caring and absolutely gorgeous woman?" Bianca said. "You're right, why in the world would I ever be interested in such a woman," she said teasingly and kissed her again.

* * *

><p>"Charlie, did you pick up on any vibes between dad and Morag?" Joey asked as they walked toward the restaurant where they were meeting Nick and his girlfriend. "I take that as a yes," she said when Charlie had screwed up her nose to her question. "Would it really be so bad if something was going on between them?"<p>

"He's my dad and I know he's dated since he split from mum, but he's my dad."

"I think we've established that he's your dad."

"But she's a lawyer," Charlie then complained, before she grinned at Joey's raised brow. "Hey, cops and lawyers are not supposed to mix like that and if I hadn't seen the Battleship with what looked very much like a blush at the compliments my dad was paying her, then I'd have said that there would have been no way in hell that my dad would ever hook up with a lawyer," Charlie told her. "But I can't deny that I did sense that there was more going on between them other than mutual appreciation."

"And?" pushed Joey gently.

"Dad dated, but he never really found anyone serious after he split from mum and I do hate the idea of him being alone since we moved away, so if she makes him happy." She shrugged, "I guess I'll be fine with it." Charlie put her arm around Joey's waist as they walked. "How are you doing?"

"I'll be fine once I get used to the idea that my brother doesn't want to see me."

"He will Joey, it's just that Brax needs time to adapt to his new situation before he can let anyone close again."

"Yeah, I know."

Charlie leant over and kissed her temple. "I love you."

Joey brought them to a halt and moved in for a hug. "I love you too," she said, drawing comfort from her wife's strong arms around her.

"Brax is a strong man, he'll get through this," Charlie assured her.

"I hope so." Giving her wife a final squeeze, Joey stepped back and took her hand as they started walking again. "I'm wondering what to expect with Nick's new girlfriend."

"Well, she's with Nick, so she obviously has good taste," Charlie said.

"She definitely has that in her favour," agreed Joey. "I just hope Nick doesn't end up getting hurt again."

"Keep the claws in honey," teased Charlie when she detected the hint of warning in Joey's tone. "As big a bitch as Lucinda could be, she did love Nick, they just weren't suited to each other and in the end, they were both to blame for their marriage breaking down so badly."

"She could have at least waited a bit longer before hooking up with that arrogant shit Ryan though," Joey said and Charlie had to agree with her on that one. Ryan had been an ex of Lucinda's who had rocked up and caused tension in the already fractured marriage, but while neither she nor Joey had been very big fans of Lucinda, they hadn't doubted her word when she told them she had been faithful to Nick and that nothing had happened with Ryan until after she and Nick had officially separated. Still, it had been like a kick in the guts for Nick, who had held out a vague hope of a reconciliation with his wife but it was never to be and to get over Lucinda, he'd set about playing the field, unwilling she guessed, to risk his heart again. That might be about to change though, if his earlier talk about this new girlfriend was anything to go by; for a start, he had seemed happier than he had been for some time whenever he spoke of this woman.

"I just want him to be happy and he deserves a family of his own," Joey said.

"Look, even if this woman doesn't turn out to be the one for Nick, he is a great guy and it's only a matter of time before someone else realises that and snaps him up," Charlie said. "Of course, she will still have to pass the Joey test to see if she is good enough for Nick," she added cheekily.

"Hey," protested Joey. "You're the one who used to always go on and on about Lucinda."

"She just annoyed me at times."

"Because she reminded you of how you used to be."

"I guess I had been a bit of an Ice Queen," Charlie murmured in agreement.

"A bit?" Joey said with a grin. "Any colder and there would have been icicles coming off anyone within touching distance of you."

"Then it's a good thing that you came along and thawed me out."

"And now you're all hot and steamy."

"Please don't talk about being hot and steamy when we're out in public," complained Charlie.

"Ooh, somebody is heating up," teased Joey and touched her hand gently to her wife's blushing face.

"Keep it up and I'll boil over," Charlie warned her.

"Is it wrong to take so much pleasure from the effect I have on you?" Joey asked a little huskily.

"Not at all and I feel the same way," replied Charlie. "No one has ever made me feel what you do and I love every second of it."

"Even when you're overheating in public?"

Charlie smiled and shook her head. "You just don't give up," she murmured. "Don't ever change." She ducked in and brushed her lips over Joey's. "But Nick is waiting for us, so let's just turn the temperature down a notch for the moment."

"For the moment," Joey said agreeably.

* * *

><p>By now, Bianca was sitting next to Georgie on the bed, gently stroking her cheek and occasionally kissing her temple, oblivious to the danger of being sprung by a nurse or worse, Jack turning up. "So what happens now?"<p>

"I don't know," Georgie admitted. She found it oddly relieving to have heard the same touch of fear in Bianca's voice that she was feeling herself.

"You're married."

"I know."

"You have a son."

"I know."

"We shouldn't be doing this."

"I know."

"But I want you so much." Georgie's heart skipped a beat at the need and desire in Bianca's voice and eyes. "And I need to know what happens next," Bianca said in a quiet voice.

Feeling more daring than she had ever been, Georgie took her hand and kissed it. "I guess I talk to Jack."

Bianca was unable to keep the hope from her voice when she asked, "Are you sure?"

"It's well past time we did talk." Bianca sat up more attentively and looked at her. "My marriage is pretty much a sham," she told a stunned Bianca, who listened attentively while Georgie explained about the true state of her marriage. "And now, we're pretty much only together because I convince myself it's for Romeo's sake, but the truth is, I haven't been strong enough to walk away."

"Oh god Georgie," Bianca said, hating the lack of confidence and belief Georgie had in herself and she leant over and kissed her. "I hate that you thought you had to stay in a loveless marriage with an unfaithful husband."

"Don't get me wrong, I do love Jack, just not in that way and I can hardly talk about his unfaithfulness after what we've been doing."

"There is a big difference to a full blown affair compared to a few kisses."

"It's not just kisses though, is it?" said Georgie. "And I should feel guilty for letting you kiss me or for even thinking of you in the way that I have been, but for the first time since I realised I was falling for you, I don't and so how does that make me any different from Jack?"

"How long has Jack's affair been going on?" she asked. "And at any time during his affair, has Jack come to you and spoken to you about the state of your marriage or suggested that maybe it's time to part ways?"

"Not really."

"Then there is a difference, because you're willing to talk to him and accept your marriage is over, while he sneaks around in secret with this other woman."

"What would you do though, if I told you that I didn't want to end my marriage to Jack but I didn't want to stop seeing you either?"

Bianca opened her mouth to answer, before closing it and thinking things over. "Fuck, I've never been in this situation before because I've always avoided getting involved with women already in a relationship, but if I'm honest, then I don't think I could stay away from you even if I tried and believe me, I have tried before." She stared at Georgie with some uncertainty. "Are you going to end your marriage?"

* * *

><p>Charlie and Joey walked into the restaurant and allowed a moment or two for their eyes to adjust to the dimly lit interior. Joey liked what she saw; the place was small with a warm, comfy feeling to it and going by the lovely aroma coming from the kitchen, it had some rather enticing food that had Joey glad they'd accepted the invitation to lunch. She was still upset that the day hadn't gone the way she'd wanted it to, but she saw no reason for her stomach to miss out on enjoying some nice food.<p>

"There's Nick," Charlie said softly, pointing to the corner where their friend was sitting with a woman whose back was to them.

As they walked toward them, the woman turned and both Joey and Charlie stuttered in their approach when they recognised the woman.


	58. Chapter 58

**…2008**

Charlie slowly came to consciousness from a deep sleep. The first thing she noticed was the familiar presence in the bed with her. Even when she was waking early so she could sneak back to her own room before Ruby got up, she had loved waking to that comforting presence and this morning was no different, except now that their secret was out, there was no need to go rushing back to her room and she could laze about in Joey's bed for as long as she wanted, which might be a good thing this morning, because her body was feeling sore after yesterday's adventures. Last night, Joey had tried to kiss it better and it had worked for a short time, but her body had obviously stiffened up during the night.

She cracked open an eye as she realised there was something a bit different this morning; she wasn't alone with Joey. The other eye opened and she took in the curly mop of hair that cut off her view to Joey.

As if sensing her girlfriend was awake, Joey propped herself on her elbow and peered over her daughter. "Ruby came in about an hour ago," Joey whispered to her. "She wanted to wake you for brekkie, but I told her to let you sleep and she ended up going back to sleep herself."

"What time is it?"

"Just after 9."

"You're kidding me!" Charlie groaned and rolled onto her back. "Oh man," she complained, her hand going to her head; it felt like a jackhammer was pounding over and over inside her skull.

"That's why I let you sleep in," Joey said. "You needed the rest."

"I need a new head."

"What's wrong with your head?" came Ruby's sleepy voice from between them.

"It hurts a little, that's all," replied Charlie. "But it's nothing to worry about."

"Ruby, why don't you go set the table for breakfast," Joey suggested to Ruby before her inquisitive child had a chance to give Charlie an even bigger headache with all her questions she was no doubt getting ready to ask.

Ruby looked between her mother and Charlie as if weighing up the options.

"You can even have coco pops this morning," Joey said and her words made all the difference, with Ruby jumping out of bed with an 'ok' and running from the room. "Ah, bribing the sweet tooth never fails," murmured Joey, before she rushed to the other side of the bed where Charlie was groaning as she sat up and swung her legs over the side. "Here, let me help you," she said, lifting Charlie's nightgown over her head. "Ouch," she said when she saw that the bruise had spread somewhat since yesterday.

"Ouch indeed," muttered Charlie. With Joey's help, Charlie was soon dressed, but when she stood again, she swayed slightly and almost fell into Joey's arms.

"I think we should take you to the hospital."

"I'm fine, I just stood a little too quickly."

"Please Charlie, the doctor warned you about a possible concussion."

Charlie gazed into the worried eyes of her girlfriend. "If I'm not feeling better after brekkie, I'll let you take me to the hospital."

* * *

><p>Though her headache had dissipated a little after breakfast and she had started to feel better, Charlie had been unable to stop Joey from taking her back to the hospital, where luckily, the doctor had cleared her of a delayed concussion. When Joey had then tried to talk her into going home and taking it easy for the rest of the day, Charlie had put her foot down and argued that she needed to meet with Sgt Williams that afternoon and it would actually help her recovery if she got it out of the way instead of having it hanging over her head any longer than necessary. Joey had relented and even let her get a lift to the station with one of the officers who had come to the hospital to check up on Graves, who had come through surgery and then the night without further incident and much to the relief of everyone, had woken not long after she and Joey had arrived at the hospital for her own check up. Graves would be off work for some time, but she would make a full recovery and was actually quite positive she'd be back quicker than the doctor first suggested. Joey had rolled her eyes along with the doctor at her statement and Charlie had chuckled at the doctor's utterances about bloody cops being some of the worst patients, as they never listened to medical advice. Along with her positive outlook and bemusement at the doctor's reaction, Charlie suspected that Graves had also been a little embarrassed at all the attention she'd been getting, especially when she and Joey had stopped by to thank her for risking her life and showered her with gifts. By the time they got there, Graves' room had already started to look more like a florist shop than a hospital room, with all the bouquets of flowers that had been steadily arriving from fellow officers and just members of the public she'd never even met but had been touched by the story of her bravery, not to mention the growing pile of boxes of chocolates sitting in the corner. Graves thought they all deserved the attention and gifts since she wasn't the only one who had been shot, but as Joey pointed out, the others were still on their feet and so she should just accept the attention and enjoy the chocolates.<p>

Charlie glanced at her watch. She'd been waiting outside the Sergeant's office for the past fifteen minutes now and while she was feeling better physically, she had to admit to being a little nervous about the fate that awaited her once she stepped into that office. "Charlie." Williams's voice startled Charlie from her thoughts. "I'm ready to see you now."

Charlie got nothing from his tone and expression, but despite her nervousness, she stepped into his office, ready to accept her fate, whatever it may be.

"I stopped by to see Const. Graves earlier," she said conversationally as she took the seat offered by her Sergeant. "She's doing much better."

"We're all relieved here at the news and I intend to head over to the hospital later." He looked at her intently. "I would have been happy to reschedule this if you'd needed more time to rest, Charlie."

"Actually, moving about and getting fresh air is doing wonders at the moment," she replied, though she suspected the next few mornings would be similar to this morning; a little stiff and sore when she woke.

"I won't keep you long." He sat across from her at his desk, his expression still unreadable. "Protecting Joey Collins and her daughter was supposed to be a great career move for you Charlie, especially as it was such a high profile case, but instead, it's going to be a black mark on your record." Charlie prepared herself for his next words. "You're just lucky that your error in judgement didn't cost us the case and there ended up being no trial, or this meeting could have been your last in the Police Force."

Charlie let out the breath she hadn't realised she'd been holding. She had taken the risk to be with Joey and was prepared to take the consequences, even if it was losing her job, but even so, it was still a relief to get that bit out of the way.

He smiled at her obvious relief. Charlie had always been one of his best officers and though he was disappointed in her actions, she had too much potential to let one mistake ruin her career. "You stuffed up Charlie and under different circumstances, your actions may very well have cost you your job, but at the end of the day, you did your job and took a bullet doing so, proving that your lack of judgement in pursuing a relationship with a witness didn't impair your ability to do your job in any negative way, but the fact remains, you broke the rules, rules which were set in place to protect all involved and not just from danger," he said. "Things may have turned out well for you and Joey, but what if it hadn't?" he suggested. "I'm well aware how you two didn't get along in the beginning and so it could have been much worse if your relationship had failed while you were still in charge of her safety, not to mention it could have left you open to the possibility of her making a complaint about your behaviour." He held his hand up to stop any protest from her. "That didn't happen, I know, but I'm telling you why those rules were set in place, in part, to avoid any hint of impropriety and to avoid situations where an officer could be accused of taking advantage of the situation or worse, accused of influencing the witness' testimony. Imagine if it had gotten out during the trial, the defence would have had a field day and Joey's credibility as a reliable witness would have been shot and as it is, it's bad enough the allegations have come from Angelo Rosetta."

"I understand," Charlie said.

"That said, after speaking to Miss Collins, I can see that Angelo's accusations about you seducing and coercing her are quite baseless and it's become clear to me and my immediate superiors, his accusations were made out of spite toward you because of your less than amicable history." His grinned wryly at Charlie, "Actually, if Angelo pressed this further, he'd look an even bigger fool because your girlfriend was rather forceful and adamant in her answers and defence of you," he said. "And it was pretty obvious to me that she loves you."

"I love her too."

"It does look better for you that what you have with Miss Collins is a serious relationship and not just some fling you had because she was the only one there, but the fact remains, even though Angelo's motives were questionable and some of his allegations without truth, you did engage in an affair with a witness and that part can't be ignored."

Charlie nodded her understanding of what he was saying. "And I'm willing to take whatever punishment you feel is appropriate."

"Well for a start, you won't be getting your promotion to Snr Constable, nor will that be happening any time soon." Charlie had expected as much. "You're also no longer considered to be fast-track material, so you will have to take the long and hard way up the ladder."

"That's fine by me sir," and she meant it. Fast track involved long hours and total dedication above just about everything else and while that was what she had once wanted, her priorities were now very different.

He smiled inwardly at the change he saw in her. When he'd assigned Charlie to the protection detail, he'd been hoping the experience would help her to develop a less rigid outlook on her career and empathy toward others and while he certainly never expected her to fall in love with the witness, he was pleased to see the changes in her that he'd been hoping for, which was why he didn't particularly enjoy putting this black mark in her record, but it had become unavoidable the moment she admitted to the affair. "That's not all," he told her. "You will also have a three month suspended suspension hanging over your head for the next two years, so if you stuff up in any way within that timeframe, you will have to serve those three months without pay, but I've assured my superiors that you're not going to make a habit of poor judgement and I have every confidence that you will overcome these setbacks and get your promotion in time."

"Thank you for the confidence you have in me, Sarge."

"Charlie, you're one of the best young officers I've ever seen and while I can't approve of your actions, I have to admit to being pleased that you've finally got a life outside of the station."

"I realise now that as much as I loved my job and was good at it, I was missing something in my life and while falling for Joey was wrong according to the rules, I don't regret it one bit and I think that all of this will make me a better officer in the long run."

"I happen to agree that you will become a better officer because of this experience, but you need to remember how lucky you have been, because it could have been a very different scenario if Pirovic had lived and the trial had gone ahead."

"Believe me, I know how lucky I am," Charlie said and rubbed the bruise on her chest. "In more ways than one."

"After what happened yesterday, I'm just sorry I had to drag you in here for this."

"I'm just relieved to have this all out of the way."

"Well we're done here now, so you can go home and take it easy for the rest of the week," he said to her. "And I don't want you coming back unless you're feeling %100."

"You sound like Joey."

He chuckled and opened the door for her.

"Joey!" Charlie said in surprise when she saw her girlfriend was waiting for her outside the office.

"I was sitting in the taxi on the way home from the hospital, but halfway there, I found myself telling the driver to come here instead."

"Well, you're just the young lady I wanted to see," Williams said and smiled with good humour at Joey's frown. "I have something for you." He went to his desk and pulled an envelope from the drawer.

"What's this?" Joey asked as she took it from him.

"A cheque for $300,000."

"But I didn't even testify."  
>"You came forward and were willing to testify against a very dangerous man and you nearly got killed because of it, so the least we could do, was honour your courage."<p>

"Ah, thank you," said a shocked Joey.

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll go and arrange for a driver to take the two of you home," Williams said and left them alone.

"Wow," Joey murmured, staring at the cheque. She was going to be able to provide for her daughter in a way she never dreamt of, first with the love and support of Charlie as her second mum and now financially.

"Can I be your kept woman, Mistress Joey?" Charlie asked with a cheeky grin.

"That depends," Joey said. "How much to get a kiss?"

"A kiss is free, but anything else, well," she wiggled her brows.

"God I love you."

"I love you too, Mistress."

"Oh, stop it."

"Is that an order, Mistress?"

"Yes it is."

Not caring that she was still outside her Sergeant's office, Charlie moved in closer.

"Is this my free kiss?" murmured Joey.

"One of many," Charlie whispered and pressed her lips firmly to Joey's.

Both women blushed at the wolf whistles their kiss received from a couple of passing officers and they broke apart. "Let's go home," Charlie said. "We have our future to plan for."

* * *

><p><em>That was the last flashback chapter<em>


	59. Chapter 59

_For those wondering about the flashbacks, there may still be flashbacks, but I just won't be devoting every second chapter to them anymore._

* * *

><p><strong>…2012<strong>

Nick, having seen their stuttered approach, grinned at them as they joined the couple at the table. "Guess you weren't expecting to find Andi here."

"Actually, no," admitted Joey. She had visited Graves a few times when she had been in the hospital, but once Graves had been released, earlier than the doctor had suggested just as Graves had predicted, they had lost contact, so seeing her again was a pleasant surprise, even more of a surprise though, was that she was the woman who was apparently helping Nick to finally move on from Lucinda. "But it's so nice to see you again, Andi."

"It's nice to see you again too and under better circumstances this time," Nick's dinner companion replied. "Please, sit."

"You're probably wondering how this came about," Nick said as Joey and Charlie took the seats opposite them.

"Of course Joey is," Charlie answered for her. "You know how she likes to know every little detail."

"Oh please," Joey said with mock affront. "You're the cop who can't resist a good interrogation and not knowing everything going on, so why don't you just admit that it's you who really wants to know all the juicy details of how Nick and Andi hooked up."

Charlie folded her arms and went for a pose of superiority. "I deny any such scurrilous accusations."

"They're kind of cute," Graves whispered loud enough to Nick for all at the table to hear.

"Try living with them and they're anything but cute," Nick muttered good-naturedly. "It was like a war zone at times between Cruella de Bitch and the Firecracker."

"I don't think I need to ask who was which," Graves said with a smirk.

"Since when was I the Firecracker?" Joey asked with curiosity.

"It was my private name for you right from the start," replied Nick.

"And very appropriate too," murmured Charlie. "Always going off."

"Hey," protested Joey.

Grinning, Charlie leant in closer and kept her voice low so only Joey could hear her. "You're a real little Firecracker in the bedroom baby."

"Well, you do set me off." Joey moved in and brushed her lips over her wife's.

Nick coughed politely to get their attention. "Just in case you forgot we were here."

"Ha, ha," Joey replied with a grin. "Now, you were about to tell us how you and Andi came to be?"

"Well, we met up again by chance really," he said. "Andi and I had spoken a few times directly after the shooting, but then we didn't see each other until a couple of months ago when we ran into each other at a crime scene."

"Ok, not the most romantic of settings," murmured Joey, "But do go on."

"Why thank you for your permission," Nick graciously said with a wry grin.

Graves rolled her eyes at the light-hearted byplay between her boyfriend and his friends. From the way he'd spoken of them, she'd picked up that he thought the world of them, but seeing them all like this, it felt more like he was the big brother dealing with his younger siblings.

"Anyway, we had a bit of a chat at the scene, but then we went our separate ways again."

"Until we ended up at the annual police ball the following week," Graves added. "I hadn't intended on going, but a friend of mine talked me into it."

"Same here," Nick said. "And so not only did we both turn up to the ball, but we also ended up seated at the same table."

"By then, I had started to wonder if someone was trying to tell me something," Graves picked up the tale, "Especially when two days later, we ran into each other again at a local supermarket."

"It does sound like forces were pushing you together," Charlie said.

"That's what I was thinking," Nick said. "Which is why I took a chance and asked her out."

"And I said no."

"You did?" Joey said in surprise.

"I'd heard a bit about Nick's penchant for playing the field and I wasn't interested in becoming the latest one."

"Obviously something changed," said Joey.

"I had to prove I was serious," Nick said. "Which wasn't easy, as at the time I really hadn't been looking for a relationship, yet I found that I couldn't just walk away, so I tried to convince her to go out with me by showering her with flowers and chocolates." He smiled wryly at that, "Turned out that wasn't the right tactic."

"Yeah, because after all the chocolate I got when I was in hospital, I can barely look at the stuff these days."

"I thought Joey and I had it hard when trying to get together," Charlie said with a chuckle.

"So how did you finally manage to win the fair Andi's hand?" asked Joey.

"I humiliated myself," he replied.

"He serenaded me," explained Graves. "In front of a pub full of cops."

"I could argue that I was a little drunk at the time, but I knew exactly what I was doing."

Graves shrugged. "How could I resist not saying yes after that, especially when half the other coppers joined in?"

"I so wish I had been there," Joey said. "What song was it?"

"You've Lost That Loving Feeling."

Charlie smirked at Nick. "I see that someone's love of Top Gun is still alive and well."

"Hey, you can't argue with a classic," he said. The look he sent his companion's way was unmistakable and the returning look Graves gave him eased Joey's worries that Nick would be hurt again.

Charlie coughed politely to interrupt their looks of longing. "Just in case you forgot we were here."

Nick grinned at the reminder of what he'd said earlier. "Before we all get side tracked again, why don't we order."

"What an excellent idea," Joey said, her stomach choosing that moment to agree.

* * *

><p>During the course of the meal, the atmosphere remained relaxed and jovial as she and Charlie got to know Nick's girlfriend better and Joey had to admit that she was finding Andi a very different person to the silent and dour Graves she'd originally met. That woman had at first reminded her a little of Lucinda; a bit cold and distant, but then she realised that Graves was Andi's cop persona and once out of uniform, Andi took over. It was much like Charlie. Once the initial thaw had happened, Joey always got to see the mushball that many others didn't, but she never found it too surprising to hear people call her wife cold or distant, because she knew that professional Charlie could be very different to social Charlie, though that never stopped her instilling fear into anyone stupid enough to underestimate her or try to get one over on her.<p>

Joey took another bite of the delicious cheesecake while she studied Nick. Even with Lucinda, a woman Nick had been deeply in love with, she had never seen him as he was with Andi; he was happy, relaxed, incredibly attentive and was practically glowing and it warmed Joey's heart that he'd found someone who made him like this. She turned her attention to the woman by his side. Andi might be a good deal younger than Nick age wise, but in every other way, she seemed to suit Nick so well.

"So, how is the little horror settling into Summer Bay?" Nick asked while they finished their desserts and waited for their coffees.

"Come now Nick, everyone knows that little horror of mine owns your heart," Joey said. She smirked at Graves, "Andi, you should have seen Nick when he came by the house to pick up his stuff the day after the shooting; he was almost bawling his eyes out when it came time to say goodbye to Ruby."

"An exaggeration," Nick defended himself.

"Gee, I don't know about that Nick," Charlie joined in. "I definitely noticed you were misty eyed that day, especially when Ruby was attached to your leg."

"Attached?" queried Graves.

"Ruby was in tears at the thought she'd never see her Uncle Nick again, so when it was time for Nick to go, she grabbed onto his leg and wouldn't let go," explained a bemused Joey.

"No matter what I did, I couldn't peel her off," Nick said and Graves burst out laughing at the image that conjured up. "It wasn't funny," he complained.

"Yeah, Nick was already beet red from the attention Joey had lavished on him out of appreciation for what he'd done and in apology to her rather choice words the day before," Charlie said. "So having a crying little girl latched on for dear life to his leg really was too much for him to handle."

Graves laughed harder. "I'm sorry," she said to her boyfriend as her laughter continued, "I'm just picturing big strong Nick who could wrestle a dangerous criminal to the ground with no problem, being completely incapacitated by a child."

"Oh don't blame Nick, Ruby has a way about her," Joey said. "Just ask Charlie."

"In all fairness to Nick, Joey is right," Charlie said. "Ruby definitely has a way of getting under your guard and into your heart, along with having this remarkable ability to then bend you to her will."

"So then, how did my big brave warrior manage to escape the clutches of a little girl?"

"I'm never going to hear the end of this," muttered Nick.

"Basically, Nick had to swear absolute allegiance to Ruby," joked Joey.

"Actually, I had to promise to keep in contact," Nick said. "And always be at her beck and call," he added lightly.

"Which he has," Charlie said. "He's never missed a birthday, Easter or Christmas."

"I might have to meet this Ruby and ask for tips on warrior boy here," quipped Graves.

"I have a feeling you're already on the way there," Joey said, causing Nick to blush.

With the arrival of their coffees, the conversation changed direction. "I was sorry to hear about your brother," Graves said to Joey.

"I wish he'd let me help him, but as others have said, I need to give him time," Joey said. "It's not easy though."

"It never is with family," she agreed.

"So Andi, are you still partnered with Joel Nash?" asked Charlie.

"Yeah, but I'm not sure for how much longer," Graves replied. "His daughter has gotten herself pregnant and the father isn't in the picture at the moment, so Joel and his wife are thinking of moving closer to her to help out, which means if that happens, I'd have to break in a new partner."

"Not always an enjoyable experience," Charlie said with understanding.

"Especially for those who have flashes of fear when they find out they're going to be paired with the indomitable Charlie Buckton," teased Nick. "It's a good thing you came on the scene Joey and blunted the aura her persona had once given out or who knows how many poor rookies would have run for the hills at the mere mention of her name."

"Very funny," drawled Charlie.

"Actually, after they get over their initial fear, Charlie has an excellent record for getting the best out of her junior partners," Nick said. "Which is why the black mark in her record only slowed her advancement up the ranks by a little bit."

"I could still string Angelo up for being behind that black mark though," muttered Joey.

"No need," Nick said with a huge grin. "He managed to do it to himself."

Joey sat forward with keen interest. "Oh, do tell."

"Yes, do tell," added Charlie. Ever since he'd lodged his complaint, Charlie had managed to avoid him, which was probably in all their best interests, as she likely would have given him a piece of her mind, which he no doubt would have complained about.

"Well, once word got out what he'd done to you, he was pretty much despised by every cop who knew and most of the people who worked with him, hated his guts and in the last year, things started to get worse; requests for transfers out of the office of the DPP went up and Angelo had started to lose cases he once used to win in his sleep, so when a big case came along, one he should have pleaded out as winning was most unlikely, Angelo being Angelo, let his ego override good sense and he took it to court."

"And he lost?" Joey couldn't stop the glee entering into her voice.

Nick nodded. "Not only that, but one of his witnesses came forward and lodged a formal complaint against him. Apparently the witness had never been 100% sure of what she'd seen, but with his usual charm, Angelo tried to convince her that his suspect was the one she saw, only she wasn't having anything of it, so she went to his superiors and complained about what she saw as his bullying and unethical attempts to get her to say what he wanted her to say, even if it meant stretching the truth."

Joey laughed out loud. "I love it," she crowed. "He got busted for coercing a witness, the same charge he falsely filed against Charlie."

Charlie shared in her wife's merriment at the news. "So what happened to Angelo?"

"His superiors couldn't sustain the charge, but they had had enough of him and from then on, basically assigned every case no one else wanted to Angelo, until a couple of months ago when he finally had enough and quit, both as a cop and a prosecutor and has since gone over to the other side."

"Oh god, he's a defence lawyer now?" Charlie said.

"Yep, and he's even more despised now because he goes all out against any cop who happens to end up on the witness stand, not that it does him any good. Because of his bias toward the police, it tended to taint his defence and he lost more cases than he won. Last I'd heard, he was fired from a high profile law firm and was now setting up his own, but I'm not sure how successful that will be, because his reputation is pretty much shot these days."

"Couldn't have happened to a nicer guy," muttered Joey.

* * *

><p>They spent another hour talking before it was finally time to say their goodbyes. Now, walking back to their car, Charlie held Joey's hand up in front of her face and examined it. "What are you doing?" asked Joey.<p>

"Just confirming that the claws you may have used if Nick's girlfriend hadn't met your lofty standards have been well and truly retracted."

Joey grinned at her. "Andi's great, isn't she?"

"Yeah she is and I think Nick has found a keeper there."

"I'm just so glad that he seems to have found someone who makes him so happy."

"They both seem really happy." She put her arm around Joey's waist as they walked. "We should be heading home, because I'm sure Aden and Geoff need rescuing by now."

"Probably, but I bet they've loved every minute of having Ruby run rings around them."

Charlie chuckled in agreement. "We should go say goodbye to dad before we head off though."

"Are you going to say anything to him about our suspicions on him and Morag?"

"Nah, if there is something going on between them, I'll wait for him to tell us when he's ready."

* * *

><p>After they had said their goodbyes to Ross and Joey had left a letter with him for Morag to pass onto Tegan, they had headed straight back to the Bay. By the time they picked up Ruby and filled Aden in on how things stood with Brax, Joey and Charlie were too tired to do much more than climb into their bed and snuggle when they finally got home.<p>

"How's my little Firecracker?" Charlie softly asked.

"Fizzled out at the moment." She snuggled closer to her wife and closed her eyes, falling asleep almost immediately.

Charlie kissed her forehead. "Sleep well my love."


	60. Chapter 60

Charlie grinned at the scrunched up look of annoyance on her wife's face as she continued to run the soft downy feather she'd plucked from inside the pillow, over Joey's nose. She pulled her hand away to avoid Joey's backhanded swipe at the offending feather.

"Go away," Joey murmured sleepily, her eyes still closed.

"Wakey, wakey," whispered Charlie. "The early birdy gets to brush the feather over sleepy's nose," she sang softly.

"Fuck off birdy," muttered Joey and rolled over onto her side, her back now to Charlie.

Chuckling, Charlie ran the feather down the side of Joey's neck.

"Charlie!" Joey complained and finally opened her eyes. "I was trying to sleep."

"I know, that's why I was trying to wake you up," she cheekily replied.

"God, you're like a child at times."

"Mum-ma," Charlie said in a childlike voice.

Sighing heavily, Joey turned over to face her wife. "It's a good thing you're so hot, otherwise I wouldn't put up with you when you're like this."

"You love me for more than just my looks," Charlie confidently stated.

"Not when you disturb my sleep."

"Ooh, somebody is cranky this morning," cooed Charlie.

"And somebody is on happy pills this morning," Joey answered back.

"Not happy pills, just happy to be spending a gorgeous Sunday morning with a beautiful woman."

"Nice save, Miss Flatterer."

Charlie smiled. "I do my best."

"How about you do your best to me?" challenged Joey.

"You mean turn the temperature back up?"

"Well, we're not in public anymore, so we can warm up any way we please."

"I like the sound of that."

"Since you've promised half the day to Ruby, perhaps you'd best stop talking and get to it before she comes to collect on your promise."

"Is that Officer Friendly giving the order?" Charlie asked as her lips brushed lightly over Joey's lips.

"Yes, so quit delaying and get naked."

"As you command Officer Friendly," Charlie said. She knelt up and pulled her nightgown over her head and tossed it carelessly to the floor. She smirked when she caught her wife licking her lips in anticipation while she stared at her bared breasts. "What would you like next?"

Joey removed her own nightgown and lay back naked on the bed beside her kneeling wife. "I think you deserve a reward for following orders in the past," she said, "So you can decide what's next."

Charlie's eyes ran up and down the length of her wife's naked body, her breath coming a little faster as her passion started to grow. "Think I'll start here," she murmured and engulfed a nipple that had already hardened with desire, into her mouth.

"Oh god," Joey moaned.

"Then I'll move over to here," Charlie said, latching onto the other nipple. "While my hand goes down here," she mumbled with the nipple still in her mouth and let her hand glide slowly across Joey's belly and downward.

The vibrations on her nipple from Charlie talking around it, combined with her wife's gentle touch and her own ever increasing desire, had Joey's breath coming quicker and quicker as she thrust her chest against Charlie's mouth and opened her legs wider for her wife.

"Oh, how you love me," Charlie bragged as she felt the incredible wet heat between her wife's legs.

"Always wet for you baby," Joey gasped out as her hips started to thrust up toward Charlie's hand. "Inside me, now!" she commanded.

"You forget that I'm in the driver's seat this morning," taunted Charlie and she let her fingers move in a slow circle through the wet heat, never quite going inside her. "And I'll decide what is next."

"Oh fuck," Joey groaned, her hips bucking harder against her wife's hand as she tried to coax her in.

"Not yet," murmured Charlie, her lips softly kissing Joey's belly and moving ever so slowly downwards.

Joey's breath was coming in pants as her body responded to her wife's gentle teasing.

"You're getting hot," Charlie said, feeling the heat of her wife's skin against her lips.

"I'm about to boil over," panted Joey, enjoying the role reversal.

"I know just how to tip you over," said Charlie, her lips now joining her fingers between Joey's legs.

"Oh yeah," Joey gasped in anticipation.

Charlie flicked her tongue out, swiping over her wife's clit which was hard and quivering with desire.

"Fuck," Joey blurted out and pulled a pillow into her mouth for fear she'd scream aloud and wake her daughter.

Hooking her wife's legs over her shoulders, Charlie sucked on the hardened bud with her lips and when Joey's body thrust up toward her in reaction, she pushed two fingers inside her.

"Yes," Joey groaned into the pillow and allowed her body to be played so expertly by her wife. It wasn't long before Charlie's steady thrusting and sucking had Joey soaring toward her first climax and she screamed it into the pillow.

Charlie murmured in delight when her wife's clit spasmed in her mouth as Joey rode the waves of pleasure.

As Charlie continued to thrust inside her, Joey felt the stirrings of another orgasm coming quickly on top of her first. "Harder," she begged and Charlie responded, pumping deeper and harder into her.

"Yes, Charlie, yes, yes!" screeched Joey into the pillow as her body bucked and thrust against her wife as her second orgasm crashed over her.

Letting her wife catch her breath, Charlie crept up the bed and lay propped on her elbow beside her.

"You're looking rather pleased with yourself," Joey said a little breathlessly.

"There's nothing I enjoy more than having you scream for me."

"Yeah, I like that as well," Joey murmured. The sound of a door opening and then another slamming moments later, had her groaning. "Ruby is up."

"And no doubt, once she's out of the bathroom, she'll be in here and wanting us to leave for our girls day out," Charlie said, "So I suppose we should get out of bed and start to get dressed."

"We should seriously consider getting a lock on our door," Joey said.

"Funny, we've said that numerous times, yet we've never gone ahead with it."

"Well, I suppose a lock wouldn't really stop Ruby from interrupting us, because she'd just bang and yell at the door."

"God I love that girl, but she can have some rotten timing at times."

"It's not her fault she has a couple of randy mums who are always getting it on."

Chuckling, Charlie leant over and kissed her wife soundly.

* * *

><p>"Here you go," Charlie said, handing Ruby the strawberry milkshake while she sipped on her own spearmint shake. She and Joey had only just managed to get their clothes on before Ruby had burst excitedly into their room, already dressed and ready for their day out and after pausing long enough to have breakfast, she and Ruby had headed out. Charlie had to marvel at her daughter's energy as they had gone from the beach, to the playground and then onto a bit of rollerblading. She groaned at that reminder and rubbed her bum; there would likely be a bruise there to match the bruise to her ego after she had gone arse over tit on the rollerblades in front of her daughter. At least Joey hadn't been there and so she'd been spared that indignity. Charlie glanced at her watch. Joey had planned to laze around the house for a bit before getting some lunch and taking it to the hospital to visit Georgie.<p>

"Charlie?"

"Mmm?" she replied, bringing her attention back to Ruby.

"When are you going to get mum pregnant?" Ruby casually asked, the unexpected question causing Charlie to spit out the mouthful of milkshake she'd just taken.

After spluttering for a few moments and wiping shake off her chin, Charlie stumbled over her words as she tried to find the right answer. "Um, Ruby, that's, ah, um."

"It would be nice to have a baby brother or sister," Ruby went on.

"It's not quite as easy as that," Charlie finally managed to say.

"Why?"

"Um," Charlie frowned, wondering how to explain this to her daughter.

"Is it because you're not a dad?"

"Well, there would be a few things your mum and I would have to do a little differently," Charlie said a little hesitantly.

"Like what?"

God, why did her daughter always end up giving inquisitions like this, she thought to herself. "Just some things," is all she said.

"Do you want another baby?"

"Yes," Charlie answered that question without hesitation. "But now isn't the right time."

"Why not?"

"Ruby, you know your mum and I had some problems before we moved here, right?"

Ruby nodded. She had hated the arguing but the silence had been even worse and she had been terrified her family would break up.

"Well, we decided to put our marriage first, which is why we moved here, where things are quieter and I can have more time at home with you and your mum," Charlie explained to her. "And we're still adjusting to our new life here Ruby, so now isn't the right time to add to our family, but maybe once we've settled in a bit more, we might discuss having a baby," she said. "Besides, your mum and I are only young you know, so there's no real rush to have a baby just yet."

"You're nearly 30, Charlie."

"That's not old."

"To me, it's ancient."

"You cheeky sod."

Ruby beamed at her and then asked. "How exactly are babies made?"

Charlie's eyes bugged out in horror at the one question she'd been dreading her daughter would ask her. "Ask your mother," she finally said, more than happy to pass the buck off onto her wife. Seeing Shauna in the distance waving at them, Charlie was more than happy for any distraction from further questioning by her daughter and took Ruby's hand in hers and headed over to Shauna.

* * *

><p>"Whoa!" Joey said in shock as she walked into her friend's hospital room with lunch, only to find Georgie in a very compromising position.<p>

"Oh shit," Bianca blurted out and leapt off the bed. "It's not what it looks like," she hastily said while Georgie looked equally horrified at having been caught out.


	61. Chapter 61

_I'm going to be busy for the next week, so I won't be able to update again until mid next week. Hope you enjoy the longer chapter._

* * *

><p><em>"Whoa!" Joey said in shock as she walked into her friend's hospital room with lunch, only to find Georgie in a very compromising position.<em>

_"Oh shit," Bianca blurted out and leapt off the bed. "It's not what it looks like," she hastily said while Georgie looked equally horrified at having been caught out. _

"Really?" Joey said with a raised brow. "Because it sure looked like I just walked in and caught the two of you kissing each other?" Joey tried not to smile in amusement at her friends' reactions; one who looked about ready to crawl under the covers while the other stood there, mouth agape as she tried to come up with some explanation for being found like that. "Or did I just imagine that I saw what I did?"

"I guess there's little point in denying it," Georgie finally said and took Bianca's hand when she offered it. Joey's brow went a little higher at the very obvious display of affection.

"We're together," confirmed Bianca.

It had only been two days ago that Bianca had confessed to her about kissing Georgie and feeling guilty for breaking her rule about women already in relationships, before telling her she needed to avoid Georgie completely, yet obviously her friend had changed her mind. "You know, when I told you to talk to Georgie, this wasn't quite what I had in mind," Joey said to Bianca.

"Yeah and I know I said I needed to avoid her," Bianca said, gazing down at Georgie. "But as you can see, I couldn't stay away."

"I did kind of notice that," Joey murmured dryly.

Bianca went to say something more, but her phone beat her to it. "Shit," she muttered, looking at the reminder that had come up on her mobile. "I have an appointment I need to get to," she hesitantly said. Joey seemed to be taking things in stride, but she didn't want to leave her girlfriend alone just now.

"It's ok," Georgie told her when she sensed her reluctance to go. "Joey and I probably need to talk anyway."

As if almost daring Joey to say something, Bianca leant down and kissed Georgie on the lips. "I'll be back as soon as I can."

"Jack and Romeo are going to be here later," she reminded her.

Bianca sighed. Until Georgie spoke to Jack, she was going to be stuck with choosing her times to visit carefully, but one look into those soulful eyes reminded her that it was all going to be worth the wait. "I love you," she whispered before kissing her again and leaving the room.

When Bianca had moved back from the kiss, Joey had seen a light in Georgie's eyes she'd never seen before, but now that it was just the two of them, that look had now been replaced with one that was both guarded and slightly fearful. Joey smiled as she moved a chair to her bedside, trying to allay her friend's fears.

"I suppose you think I'm a terrible person for cheating on my husband."

"I'm not one to judge," replied Joey. "I just hope you know what you're doing."

"I feel completely out of my depth," she admitted. "But I do know that I want to be with Bianca." Georgie studied her friend for her reaction. "You don't seem all that surprised about this."

"Well, walking in on you like I did was certainly a surprise, but I've known for some time how Bianca felt about you."

"Really, because I hadn't a clue," Georgie muttered to herself.

"And recently, I had started to wonder if you felt the same way about her."

"I do," Georgie said with a blush. "I've barely been able to stop thinking about her from the moment I first saw her, which was why I was always so tongued tied around her, but I was married and figured I'd be the last woman someone like Bianca would be attracted to."

"The only reason Bianca wouldn't have been interested in you, was because you were already taken and not because of anything else," Joey told her quite firmly. Her friend had come some way since she'd known her, but there was still that lack of belief and confidence she had in herself. "But even with that wedding ring on your finger, Bianca still fell hard for you, because she saw in you what we all see; a kind, beautiful and wonderful woman."

Georgie blushed at the compliment and studied her ring. "This ring doesn't mean that I was taken," she said. "At least not where my heart was concerned." She went on to tell Joey what she'd said to Bianca about the state of her marriage. "Now, I'm not excusing my actions with Bianca," she said at the end of her tale. "I'm just telling you what my marriage was like."

"You don't have to defend yourself to me, Georgie and I should probably apologise for not telling you about Jack."

"What about Jack?"

"You remember the get together at the club the first night Charlie and I were in town?"

"Yeah."

"Well, I saw Jack leaving the ladies room and a woman following close behind," she said. "I'm sorry I never said anything earlier, I was just never 100% sure at the time that it was Jack and so I didn't want to say anything that could cause trouble when I might have been mistaken."

"It's ok Joey. I actually saw you looking in that direction when he came out and figured you'd seen him as well, but I was too embarrassed to say anything to you about it," she admitted. "My husband has been cheating on me for ages and I just wasn't ready to admit that to anyone, so when you said nothing about that night, it was somewhat of a relief."

"I almost wish I had said something to you now," Joey said. "Because you shouldn't have had to have gone through this alone."

"We were virtual strangers back then Joey and if you had said something, I'd have probably denied it and then avoided you, because that's what I do, I avoid dealing with the hard things whenever I can."

"Except now you've found someone new and you can't avoid it any longer," Joey gently pointed out.

"Yeah, I know," murmured Georgie. "If I want to be with Bianca, then I'm going to have to confront Jack once and for all and I plan to do that, but not until after the doctor let's me out of here," she said. "I can't end my marriage from a hospital bed and I need to be home for my son when I do it."

"That makes sense, but you need to be careful, because that could easily have been Jack who walked in on you two kissing."

Georgie shuddered at the thought. "Bianca did offer to keep her distance until I talked to Jack, but neither of us were that keen on the idea. Perhaps we could have a no touching rule though."

"Yeah, I'm sure that would work just great," Joey said jokingly and her friend blushed once more.

"Are you really ok with this Joey?" Georgie asked hesitantly. "It's just that I know how much you value marriage and yet, here I am, ending my marriage so I can be with someone else."

"From personal experience, I know how hard it can be to deny your feelings for someone you think you can't be with, hell, Charlie and I were living under the same roof when all our feelings for each other started to develop and it was torture trying to keep those feelings in check and in the end, we couldn't stop our heart's desires from taking over," Joey said to her. "I also know how hard it can be to make a marriage work, even when you're two people deeply in love, let alone two people who care for one another yet aren't in love, like you and Jack and sometimes, marriages just aren't meant to last, so yeah, I'm fine with this Georgie, as long as it's what you want, because this is your life, not mine."

"It is what I want," she said and then looked intently at Joey. "Was that bit about marriage being hard work from personal experience as well, because I always thought you and Charlie had one of the strongest relationships I've ever seen."

"Now we have a strong marriage, but there was a period just before we moved to the Bay, where we nearly lost it all," Joey said, going on to explain about how problems had slowly built within their marriage and because their communication had completely broken down, they had started to drift apart. "And then in a moment of lonely unhappiness and sheer stupidity, I kissed another woman."

Georgie's eyes opened wider in disbelief. "I'd never have guessed you had problems with the way you are now."

"Charlie and I were both relatively inexperienced when it came to long term relationships and neither of us realised that you actually have to work at making a marriage successful and not just take it for granted that it would always be there," Joey said. "I take full responsibility for my own failures in our marriage and that stupid kiss, as it nearly cost me the woman I love with all of my heart and while I wish I could take that moment back, it proved to be the wakeup call we both needed and now, we're stronger for it." Joey smiled wryly, "It's not the road I'd encourage anyone to take to a stronger marriage, but Charlie and I choose to look at the positives that have come from that rocky patch and now more than ever, we understand the importance of talking things through instead of ignoring it."

"Jack and I should have had a talk long ago but I never had the courage to bring it up." She stared at the ceiling. "I've always hated this weakness in me, never having the guts to do what is best for me and this pathetic and incessant need to please parents that barely acknowledge my existence unless it's to criticise me."

"It takes guts to end a marriage and embark on a lesbian relationship and you're doing both."

"Yet, I may very well have let Bianca slip by if she hadn't turned up yesterday and told me how she felt."

"I get the feeling there was always going to be someone who proved to be the catalyst for you to take the plunge and it was just a matter of time before that person turned up."

"Bianca," Georgie said with a dreamy tone that had Joey grinning. "Just one look at her and she has my heart racing in a way it's never done before."

"Then the moment she walked into your life, you were always fighting a losing battle to deny things any longer."

"I love her Joey, I really do and I'm desperate to be with her."

"But you're still scared."

She nodded. "I have no idea how Romeo or Jack will take this news and while most here have accepted you and Charlie, my situation is different, because I'm leaving my husband for another woman and no one is going to care that my marriage has been over for some time."

"Your friends will support you."

"Not all," she murmured. "Especially the ones who are more Jack's friends than mine and depending on how Jack reacts, it could affect our working relationship, especially as there's already been some tension between us creeping in."

"Surely Jack isn't in a position to have a go at you for wanting to be with Bianca," Joey said.

"Maybe if I was leaving him for another man, it might have been easier."

Joey let out a breath. Her friend was right. Leaving one's spouse for another was one thing, leaving one's spouse for another of the same sex added a bit more to it, at least in some people's eyes. "Georgie, if you truly believe your marriage is over and Bianca is the one you want."

"It is and she is."

"Then it's time for you to be a bit selfish for a change and do what is best for you and not worry about others," Joey told her. "Romeo loves you, and while he might be hurt at his parents ending their marriage, he's also a bright boy, so he will know he still has both his parents there for him and it wouldn't surprise me if he already knew you were both unhappy in the marriage."

"I just don't want him to hate me or blame me for this."

"For starters, you need to stop holding yourself solely responsible for your marriage failing."

"I'm the one who became a frigid bitch and forced my husband to look elsewhere."

"Bullshit," Joey stated emphatically. "That's no excuse for what Jack did. He's a married man and if he was unhappy about the state of your marriage, then he should have said something to you, instead of looking elsewhere."

"Talking wouldn't have made any difference," she said. "I'd never really gotten much out of sex with him and over time, sex had started to feel like a chore and I'd find one excuse after the other to avoid it and no amount of talking would have changed that."

"That still doesn't entitle Jack to go out and find it elsewhere while being married to you," Joey told her. "And if this other woman was the one he wanted to be with, then he should have ended the marriage, like you're prepared to do, instead of sneaking around in secret."

"The funny thing is, it's the fact that he couldn't be honest with me about the affair that hurts more than any infidelity did," Georgie admitted. "And I hate that I let Jack get away with it for so long."

"And Jack could have done the right thing by you at any time, yet he didn't," Joey said. "Look, I could have made a dozen excuses for my own behaviour when Charlie and I were having problems, like blaming her for working so hard all the time, but I didn't and when I kissed another woman, I took responsibility and confessed all to Charlie and that's when we realised that we had both contributed in our own way to our marriage problems, just as you and Jack both share the responsibility for the state of your marriage," Joey said. "And from what you've told me today Georgie, I think it's probably in everyone's best interest that you have decided to end your marriage."

"I hate to think of what my parents will say when I tell Jack it's over and hook up with a woman." She shook her head sadly. "I know I shouldn't care what they think, but it's hard to let go of bad habits and I have a lifetime of living my life the way they wanted me to live it." She sighed heavily. "My parents weren't abusive or anything like that, they just didn't care and were never really there emotionally for me and I did give them plenty to be critical of; I was average at school, I was average at sports, I was just average in every way and they weren't shy in telling me that."

Joey hated the self-loathing she heard in her friend's voice and vowed that if she ever saw Georgie's parents again, she'd tell them exactly what she thought of them, one parent to another and despite what her friend said, her parents had been abusive, at least at an emotional level.

"I hate the way my insecurities have held me back, not so much at work, because for some reason, when I become Const. Georgie Watson, I seem to gain this confidence I don't have in every other area of my life."

Joey had noticed the same thing about her and even Charlie had commented on it. "You're still the same person, in or out of the uniform, Georgie."

"I know that, but I can't help it. When I take the uniform off, I'm this weakling who does what is expected and can't stand up for herself."

"You're standing up for yourself now, by choosing to be with the person you want."

"I should have done it back in High School, when I first started to realise I didn't see guys the way most girls did, but instead, I ran and hid from it because I couldn't face up to what it might mean for me and what my parents would say, so I pushed it aside and then Jack came along and I fell in love, or at least, I thought I did at the time," she said. "I do love Jack but I don't think I've ever been in love with him and if I hadn't gotten pregnant, I doubt we even would have lasted much past High School, but I did get pregnant and Jack wanted to do the right thing, so we got married. I tried to make it work, but over time, I just couldn't keep up the act in the bedroom." She sighed. "I've missed out on so much because I've been living my life to please others and now, lying here, realising how close I came to dying, it's time to make a change."

"And it helps that a certain blonde is in the picture."

Georgie blushed. "Women like her usually terrify me," she admitted. "I've always felt so intimidated and nervous around beautiful women."

"Yeah, I had noticed that," Joey said, and then frowned. Her friend had never seemed nervous around her.

Georgie noticed her friend's expression and chuckled as she guessed what was running through Joey's head. "You're gorgeous Joey, but there was something about you that I found comforting instead of intimidating, much like Leah, but your wife on the other hand," she added with a sly grin, "She was just plain scary."

"Charlie is a pussy cat."

"Your view is biased."

"Well yeah," Joey said. "I guess I do know how to make her purr like an adorable kitten for me."

"Please Joey, I don't need that image running through my head when I'm back working with Charlie."

Joey chuckled, then grew serious again. "I know you're not telling Jack just yet, but do you mind if I tell Charlie?" Joey asked. "It's just that now that I know for sure about Jack and you and Bianca, I don't want to keep something that big from my wife."

"You can tell her everything," she told her. "And Joey, I'm sorry for putting you in this situation," Georgie added. "You already had your own worries with your brother without having to deal with this."

"My brother has made it so I can't do anything for him just yet and I feel the need to be helpful, so please, if you need anything, even just to talk, then don't hesitate to call me."

"Thanks Joey, I will." She smiled wistfully at her friend, "I wish I had someone like you in my life when I was younger, because it might have made things so much easier if I could have talked through things with someone."

"Didn't you have anyone to talk to?"

She shook her head. "I was always a bit of a loner at school and my parents, well," she shrugged. "Any of my problems would have just been seen as an added burden to them."

Joey bit down on her response; her friend needed her support more than she needed to be told what lousy parents she had. "Well, you can talk to me whenever you need to," she told her again. "Now, I don't know about you, but all this talking has made me hungry, so how about lunch?" Joey said, holding out the bag she'd brought with her.

"Sounds good," Georgie said, gratefully accepting the food and change of subject.


	62. Chapter 62

After meeting up with Shauna, the three of them had sat down out the front of the Hogan General Store to enjoy a light meal or in Ruby's case, an extremely large hamburger accompanied by a huge stack of chips. Despite her mouth watering at the delicious looking burger her daughter was scoffing down, Charlie stuck with her salad roll, though she did steal the odd chip from her daughter's plate, much to Ruby's scowling disapproval.

Grinning as another stolen chip found its way to her mouth, Charlie took the time to have a look around the café. Shauna's mum had done a great job of making the small café area feel cosy and friendly and she was slowly building up her clientele, both for the store and for the café. As there were only a few tables, the café would never be any real rival to Leah's diner, for which Charlie was grateful, as she didn't like the idea of being caught between her friend and Shauna, who had quickly become someone she regarded as a friend.

"Thanks Ms Hogan," Ruby said when Ailsa set another milkshake down in front of her.

"Joey is going to kill me when she finds out what Ruby has been eating today," Charlie murmured and Ailsa chuckled.

"Shauna was the same when she was Ruby's age," Ailsa said. "It got to the stage I had to hide all the good stuff up high and well out of reach of her little hands."

"Mum," Shauna groaned with some embarrassment. The last thing she wanted was for her mother to start telling kid stories to her superior officer.

Chuckling again, Ailsa headed back inside.

"Mums can be so embarrassing," Shauna muttered.

"I know," Ruby said between bites. "Mum and Charlie are always."

"You just eat your meal," Charlie told her before she could say more.

"Talk to me later kid," Shauna whispered conspiratorially to Ruby, who nodded enthusiastically in reply and Charlie just rolled her eyes. At least Ruby seemed to have forgotten their earlier conversation, but she decided it would be best to warn Joey that she may be asked the 'question' some time soon.

"How is Constable Watson doing?" Shauna asked. She had yet to meet her other colleague, but just about everyone she knew in the Bay spoke fondly of her.

"Much better," replied Charlie. "And she should be out of hospital in a few weeks."

"That's great." Shauna was pleased Watson was doing better, but since she had only been assigned to the area as a replacement while Watson was indisposed and Jack had taken leave to care for her and their son, she wandered what would happen to her when that all changed. Peter had mentioned the possibility of her position becoming permanent, but as much as she liked it here and she liked the people, she wasn't so sure that she wanted to stay, especially now that things with her and Bianca had totally fizzled out and there didn't really seem much chance of her meeting any other lone lesbians here. Besides, Area Command wasn't that far away, so she could still visit her mother regularly if she did go back home.

"Get out of here!"

Both Shauna and Charlie looked at each other in surprise when they heard Ailsa raised voice coming from inside the store. Jumping out of their chairs, they rushed inside to see what was going on. Half-worried a robbery may have been in progress, Charlie was relieved to see it was only Alf Stewart standing there, though going by Ailsa's thunderous expression, he might as well have been an armed robber.

"What's going on?" Shauna asked her mother.

"Nothing."

"It didn't sound like nothing from outside."

"This man was just leaving."

Shauna turned her attention to the man, giving him the once over. She'd seen him around town but had yet to find out who he was, though by her mother's reaction to him, she was quickly figuring that out. "She asked you to leave."

Alf stared at her. "Who the flamin' heck are you?" Alf shouted and Charlie was shocked. Joey always spoke so highly of Alf Stewart and the times she'd spoken to Alf herself, she'd found him a rather affable man and so unlike the man before her now.

"Constable Shauna Bradley," she replied evenly, before she casually added, "Your daughter." Charlie wasn't sure who was more shocked at this news, her or Alf and you could hear a pin drop at the sudden silence that descended down on them. "You know, the daughter you couldn't be bothered having anything to do with after mum told you she was pregnant with your kid," she said to him. "Now, my mother asked you to leave, so take the hint and get the fuck away from us."

"Mr Stewart," Charlie said quietly, "I think it best if you leave."

"Yeah, do what you're best at and just walk away," Shauna angrily said.

Alf stared at Shauna as if wanting to say something to her, before he nodded and strode out of the store.

Taking a deep breath, Shauna looked at Charlie. "Sorry about that display."

"Are you ok?"

"I knew coming here that I'd probably eventually have to deal with him, but I'd rather it be on my terms and when I'm ready," she said. Shauna glanced over at her mother who was busying herself with wiping down the counter. "I'd best see to my mum."

"If you ever need to talk about it, feel free to come to me."

"Thanks Charlie."

Rather than intrude any further, Charlie thanked Ailsa for the meal and went outside to get her daughter. Ruby patted her stomach and burped loudly.

"Ruby!"

"I couldn't help it," she sheepishly replied.

"Yeah, I bet." She held her hand out to her daughter. "Let's go for a walk to burn off some of those calories you just guzzled down."

Ruby took her hand and happily skipped along at her side, leaving Charlie to marvel at her daughter's large appetite and endless energy.

* * *

><p>"Honey, I'm home," Joey sang out the moment she was through the front door.<p>

"I'm in the kitchen," Charlie called out. She grinned when she felt Joey's arms wrap around her from behind.

"What's for tea?" Joey murmured and kissed the side of Charlie's neck.

"Me," quipped Charlie and she shivered when Joey gentle nibbled against her skin.

"Yummy."

"Joey, Ruby's just upstairs."

"In that case, I'll eat later," she said teasingly and slapped her wife on the bum as she stepped back.

"Hey!" protested Charlie.

"Just tenderising it for later."

"Ha, ha." Charlie bent so she could put the lasagne in the oven.

Enjoying the view she was presented with, Joey gave an appreciative wolf whistle.

"You're obviously in a good mood," Charlie said as she turned to face her wife.

"You have that effect on me." She brushed her lips over Charlie's. "Did you have fun with Ruby today?"

"We had great fun, though we may have overdone it with the food."

"One day of splurging won't hurt, but if she's sick tomorrow, you're staying home to look after her."

"Fair enough." Charlie lent against the kitchen bench, looking rather smugly at Joey. "Oh, by the way, Ruby wants to know when she's getting a sibling and how babies are made," Charlie casually said to her. "I told her to ask you about the latter question."

"I'm sorry?"

Charlie deliberately spoke more slowly this time, "Ruby wants to know where babies come from."

"How did that come up in conversation?"

"She just blurted it out while we were having milkshakes."

"Oh god, I'm not ready for that talk," she muttered, then glared at her wife. "Why did you tell her to ask me instead of answering her for yourself?"

"She caught me off guard and I didn't know how to answer it."

"And I do?"

"Well, at least you've been warned and so can practice how to answer when she does ask again."

"Gee, thanks."

"You're welcome," Charlie cheekily said. "Hey, you're never going to guess what else I found out today."

"I bet it's nowhere near as interesting as what I found out today," countered Joey.

"How about that Alf Stewart is Shauna's father?"

"Fuck," muttered a surprised Joey. The Hogans had been a well-known family in the area, so even in Mangrove River, she'd heard rumours floating around when she was a kid as to why Ailsa Hogan had suddenly left Summer Bay, but she hadn't really thought much of it since they'd both returned to the area, not even after the arrival of Ailsa's daughter.

"I kind of felt bad that I found out the way I did and I'm betting Alf is still a bit shell-shocked to have come face-to-face with his daughter like that."

"There were rumours when I was a kid," Joey said. "That Ailsa got thrown out of home for being pregnant and left town, but I never heard anything about who she was supposedly pregnant to and no one was ever sure if the rumours had any truth to them or not."

"I don't know all the details or even what Alf and Ailsa were arguing about, we just heard Ailsa yelling at him and then Shauna dropped the big bomb on Alf."

"Wow, that's certainly one bomb that will be quickly all over town," murmured Joey.

"So, what's your interesting news?" Charlie asked.

"Oh, no biggie," Joey casually said, "Just that Georgie is gay and is leaving her husband for another woman."

"Huh?"


	63. Chapter 63

"Georgie is gay?" Charlie said for the third time since her wife had filled her in on her visit with their friend.

"Yep and has been for some years."

"She's married though."

"She's only now ready to acknowledge it and come out."

Charlie nodded in understanding. For some people, it was easy to come out, especially when you had supportive families like she had had, but for others, coming out and accepting who you are could be a scary proposition and with parents like their friend had, Charlie could certainly understand why she chose to push who she was aside. "I still can't quite wrap my head around this, well, I suppose it's no surprise on Bianca's part, because she's always been interested, but Georgie, I honestly never saw that one coming," Charlie murmured.

"Well, let's face it, our gaydar is often more wonky than reliable for us."

"Yeah, I suppose so." Charlie shook her head, still reeling somewhat from the news.

"Georgie is going to need her friends to help her deal with the fallout when this all becomes known," Joey said, "And she's already worried how some people will view her ending her marriage like this."

"I believe in marriage, but my parents marriage failed and we ourselves came damn close, so I'm well aware marriage isn't perfect and after what you've told me about Jack having an affair and Georgie being gay, then frankly, I'm actually surprised their marriage has lasted this long."

"If they didn't share a son, I'm not sure it would have," Joey said. "Then again, without Romeo, there probably wouldn't have been a marriage to begin with, though I suspect Georgie still would have remained firmly closeted."

"What a mess," Charlie murmured. She took her wife's hand. "You're right though, Georgie is going to need her friends to help her through this."

"I think the hardest part for her now, is going to be telling her family, because their reaction is what she fears the most," Joey said.

"I'm trying to imagine how Jack is going to react," Charlie said after a moment of thought. "He is probably able to justify to himself about having an affair, but that doesn't mean he's going to be ok with his wife leaving him for someone else."

"Especially when the other person is a woman," Joey said. "And then there's Romeo and what his reaction to the news his parents are splitting will be."

"Poor kid," Charlie said. "I hated it when my parents split and it was only later, when I was older, that I really understood it was for the best, but at Romeo's age, it's going to hurt."

"Yeah I know and trying to explain to him his mother is gay is just going to make it harder."

"He doesn't have a problem with us being Ruby's parents, so that might ease his confusion a little."

Joey nodded and hoped that was the case, though it really was hard to predict how any of them were going to react, same with their friends and those around them. "A lot of people are going to have an opinion on this," Joey said. "And I guess it's too much to hope that those who are willing to pass judgement on Georgie, will also hold Jack accountable for his part in their marriage failing."

"Unfortunately, since other people have become involved in their marriage, outsiders will have an opinion on it and I'm sure there will be some who will take one side over the other, just as there will be some who will be understanding and supportive of the both of them."

"I hope Bianca is ready for what will most likely be heading her way as well," Joey said. While it was certainly looking like it could be rough seas ahead for the Holden/Watson trio, Joey had a feeling that being the other women was also going to make Martha and Bianca just as talked about.

"I'm pretty sure Bianca will be up to it."

"Charlie, I'm really sorry that I never told you about what I did know earlier, but I honestly wasn't sure it was Jack I saw that night and I didn't want to cause trouble by spreading rumours and I certainly didn't want to make things awkward for you at work if I was wrong," she explained, "And then when all this Darryl business came up, I kind of pushed Bianca kissing Georgie the first time out of my mind."

"You were placed in a difficult position each time and I'm not sure what I would have done either." She smiled at Joey. "And in a way, I'm glad you said nothing about Jack until you were sure, because rumours can start with the smallest thing and can do a lot of damage, whether there's truth to the rumours or not." A memory popped into her head and her eyes widened in surprise. "Oh god, I just realised that the couple I heard going for it in the loos that night must have been Jack and Martha." Her face screwed up with distaste and she felt sullied in some way at having been witness to such a blatant act of infidelity, especially with the wronged wife present just beyond the closed door. "Now I'm kind of glad I didn't bust them when I heard them, because that would have been a hell of a way to start my job at the station."

"How do you think this is going to affect everyone working together?"

"I suppose it could all come down to how Jack reacts to this," Charlie said. "If he accepts things as they are with minimum fuss, then things might not be so bad and hopefully the other officers will respect their privacy, but if he reacts badly to the news his wife is gay and wants to move on with his son's teacher, then even with Georgie on leave for some time yet, I can still see a lot of tension and conflict happening at work, with other officers weighing into it all," she said and rubbed her brow. "This is why I don't really like office relationships, because if they go sour, people get caught in the middle and the workplace can become an unpleasant environment to work in."

"It's a good thing then, that you will be there to keep things in check and if need be, you should let Cruella de Bitch off the leash and remind everyone of their job and to keep their personal feelings and opinions to themselves when they're in uniform."

"I still find it funny that you used to call me that."

"I didn't know the real you then." She brushed her lips over Charlie's. "Now I do."

"Speaking about the real me, do you think we'll get to know the real Georgie now that she's finally ready to step out of the shadows?"

"I certainly hope this is just the first step in her becoming the confident and assured woman we know she can be," Joey said. "And with Bianca, I hope she can finally be free of the need to please others and always putting herself down."

"It must have been hard growing up with parents like hers and then spending the rest of your life pretending to be someone you're not just for the sake of keeping up appearances," Charlie said. "It's no wonder she has self-esteem issues and Jack's decision to seek out another woman probably didn't help matters either."

"She was blaming herself for his infidelity," Joey said.

"Poor Georgie," she murmured.

"So I hope you don't mind, but I told her about our problems and Belle, because I think she really needed the reassurance that I didn't judge her or blame her for her marriage failings in anyway."

"We went through a rough patch and I'm not ashamed for people to know that, because we're stronger for it and if our experience can help Georgie in any way, then I'll talk to her about it as well."

"I think I've just fallen a little more in love with you right now." Joey kissed her wife deeply.

Charlie sighed happily and rested her forehead against Joey's when the kiss finally ended. "Think I just fell a little more in love with your lips just then."

Joey chuckled and kissed her again until the timer went off on the oven. "Feed me now and I'll love you even more," joked Joey.

"Sorry babe, but I'm only turning the lasagne, so you'll have to wait a little longer." Charlie grinned at the hangdog look Joey sent her way. "Don't worry Joey, it will be well worth the wait," she said in a voice that was a less than subtle reminder that there was more than just lasagne on the menu.

"I look forward to it."

With the lasagne turned, Charlie leant against the counter. "Well, today has certainly been a day of revelations," she said with a bemused smile. "And I think Georgie and Bianca as a couple might take a bit of getting used to."

"After seeing them together today, I have to say, they make a cute couple and their feelings for each other were very real and very clear for all to see."

"When does Georgie intend to tell Jack that it's over?"

"Once she's out of hospital."

"Then if their feelings for each other are so obvious, then she and Bianca are going to have to be careful about how much they show when they're together."

"Their best bet would be to not be seen together at all, because now that they've admitted to each other how they feel, their faces, especially their eyes, really are like beacons that just scream, _we're in love_."

"Well, I'm sure they'll find a way to hide that," Charlie said and Joey snorted, thinking of how easily they'd been caught by her. "After all, we managed to keep our relationship a secret."

"Except from Nick, Shannon and your father, who all saw something between us, no matter how hard we tried to hide it."

"Oh, right," murmured Charlie. "Look, we'll stand by our friends, but this really is up to them as to how they manage things from now on."

"Yeah, it is."

"Mum!" Ruby bellowed from upstairs.

"I honestly don't know where that girl gets her loud mouth from," Joey murmured as she went to see what her daughter was yelling about.

Charlie sniggered at Joey's retreating back; mother and daughter were so alike at times, it wasn't funny.

* * *

><p>"Now, it's time for my dessert," Joey said in a sultry voice as she stalked across the bedroom to where her wife was laid out on the bed, waiting for her.<p>

Both women groaned and rushed to cover up when there was a knock on the door, moments before their daughter came in.

"Mum, I just threw up in my bed."

"Come here sweetie," Joey said and hugged her daughter. "Let's get you cleaned up while Charlie takes care of your bed." To Charlie, she whispered, "You were the one who let her eat junk food all day, so you get the joy of changing and washing her sheets."

"Oh, what fun," Charlie muttered, dreading the task ahead.

* * *

><p>By the time Ruby and her bed were cleaned up and she was asleep, neither woman was feeling particularly amorous anymore, especially Charlie, who was looking a little pallid herself, after wiping up all the vomit.<p>

"Come here," Joey said and hugged her. "Does Charlie have an upset tummy?"

Charlie nodded, her face a perfect imitation of Ruby's earlier expression. While trying not to laugh at her wife's antics, Joey put her to bed and then climbed in behind her. She moved her arm over Charlie's waist and rested her palm gently on her wife's belly. "Better?"

Charlie nodded again.

Chuckling softly, Joey kissed the back of her wife's shoulder and closed her eyes.


	64. Chapter 64

Charlie murmured as she slowly drifted toward consciousness. She could feel her wife snuggled behind her and the warmth and comfort she drew from that made it difficult for her to wake up fully as she just wanted to lay there in her wife's embrace forever.

"Wake up sleepy head," Joey whispered into her ear, as if reading Charlie's reluctance to wake up.

It was one of those rare mornings Charlie briefly contemplated chucking a sickie so she wouldn't have to move from where she was and she squeezed her eyes shut tighter, in a vain attempt to feign sleep, but going by her wife's chuckling, Joey wasn't falling for it.

"Aw, does my poor baby still have an upset tummy?" Joey asked her.

"Yep," she lied.

"I know just how to make you feel so much better," Joey told her and Charlie felt the sudden loss of her wife against her back, before she moved over her. Charlie struggled to keep her eyes tightly closed as her wife gently rolled her onto her back and rested her palm on her belly. Rubbing her hand in a circle over Charlie's belly, Joey made soothing noises that definitely had an effect on her wife. Grinning at her wife's obviously growing arousal, Joey used her other hand to slowly pull up Charlie's nightgown.

Charlie gasped when she felt her wife's warm lips against her bare skin.

"Feeling better?" queried Joey.

"Getting there," she replied.

Leaving a trail of gentle kisses across Charlie's belly, Joey moved upwards. "These look like they need warming up," she murmured and captured a nipple into her mouth.

"Oh god," moaned Charlie and thrust her chest out as Joey paid lavish attention to her nipples, with both mouth and hands.

Leaving her hands to keep the nipples warm as she continued to squeeze and play with her wife's breasts, Joey kissed her way downward. Finding the path to her ultimate goal blocked by some lacy knickers, she kept her hands where they were and used her teeth to grip the waistband and started to tug the knickers down. It wasn't the smoothest of moves and proved harder than expected because Charlie's hips had started to buck against her. "This is going to take all morning at this rate," she muttered to herself and gave in and took her hands from where they had been kneading her wife closer to climax. With her hands now free, she made short work of the annoying knickers and moved between her wife's legs. Her wife was more than ready for her, she noticed and it made her want her even more. "I missed my dessert last night," Joey murmured with a flick of her tongue over the quivering little bud that was hard with desire and Charlie nearly jumped from the bed she was so wired.

Smirking at the power she now wielded over her wife, Joey used her teeth, tongue, lips and hands to tease Charlie to the brink, but never quite letting her go over, then close again, before pulling back.

Moving the pillow she'd put over her face to hold her cries in, Charlie glared down at her wife. "Joey, please!" she begged, "I need to come."

Finally relenting to her wife's desires, Joey sucked Charlie's clit into her mouth and drove two fingers deep inside her.

"Fuck yes," Charlie shouted into the pillow. Her hips were bucking wildly against the delicious torment that was happening between her legs.

Adding a third finger, Joey quickly had her wife crying out and arching her back as her climax rushed over her. Continuing to thrust and suck even as Charlie's body started to come down from the power of her first climax, Joey quickly brought her to her second climax and then thrust and sucked her to another.

"Oh my god," gasped Charlie, when her wife finally moved up the bed and settled next to her.

"Feeling better now?" Joey asked with a huge smirk plastered over her face.

Charlie nodded enthusiastically. "Of course now though, I really don't want to get out of bed at all."

"If both of us didn't have to work, I'd happily stay home and make love to you all day," Joey said, as she snuggled closer against her wife, "But Aden has a large charter group booked in and really needs me today."

"Any excuse to get away from performing your wifely duties."

"Wifely duties?" Joey cried out in mock outrage and propped herself up on her elbow to look down at her wife. "What about your duties to me?"

"If you didn't have to play the responsible person who can't skip work, then I'd be more than happy to perform my wifely duties on you."

"Oh, so it's my fault when you don't perform?"

"Yep."

"For that, you deserve to pay."

"I love it when you make me pay," Charlie cheekily replied.

"Not this time, you won't," Joey said threateningly.

Charlie frowned at the calculated look now on her wife's face. "What are you up to?"

"Planning your punishment."

"Are you going to give me a clue?"

"You, P Plates, a boat and me driving."

Charlie gulped. She doubted you had L or P plates on boats, but it did bring back memories, some quite terrifying, of Joey's early days behind the wheel of a car.

Chuckling wickedly at her wife's expression, Joey moved away from Charlie and climbed out of bed. "I'll leave you to think that over."

"I'll make it up to you in another way," Charlie called out after her. Joey shook her head and closed the bathroom door behind her.

"Oh fuck," muttered Charlie. Her wife wouldn't deliberately endanger them, but when she was relatively inexperienced behind the wheel, she couldn't help speeding or leaving braking just a little bit late at times. On the other hand, the idea of being out on the water, with just the two of them, was definitely appealing, provided she could get over her fear of the crazy driver. "Aden wouldn't trust her with the boat until she was a safe driver," she reasoned with herself and actually started to look forward to being out there, all alone with her wife. "Where no one can hear her scream out for me," she chuckled.

* * *

><p>"Ruby, hurry up or you will be late for school," Joey yelled up the stairs to her daughter. Fortunately, Ruby was feeling much better this morning and wouldn't need to stay at home, provided she could get her up and ready, that is.<p>

"In a minute mum," Ruby shouted back.

Joey rolled her eyes. There was no moving her daughter along at times.

"Here," Charlie said, passing her the steaming mug of coffee. "By the time Ruby is down, you should be able to finish that."

"I swear, that girl has no idea about time."

"She's a kid," replied Charlie, "They run at their own time."

Joey nodded in agreement and sipped her coffee.

"I wish I could stay and help move her along," Charlie said, "But I need to be going." She circled her arms around her wife and kissed her, long and slowly, before she forced herself to step back. "I'll see you tonight." She turned and looked up the stairs. "Bye Ruby," she yelled.

"Bye Charlie."

"Oh and Ruby?"

"Yeah."

"Hurry up," she shouted.

"In a minute Charlie."

Joey rolled her eyes in defeat again, this time at her wife. "I'll get her moving," she said, "Somehow."

"Good luck with that," Charlie said with a chuckle as she walked out the door.


	65. Chapter 65

**TWO WEEKS LATER…**

Charlie groaned happily against her wife's lips and rolled them over until she was on top.

"You can't keep me here in bed," Joey told her, though she kept kissing her back. "I have got to get ready for work, hun."

"But I don't have to," argued Charlie.

"Just because you don't have to start work until noon, doesn't mean the rest of us are allowed to slack off until then."

"This isn't slacking off," smirked Charlie and she planted a long, sensual kiss on her wife that left both of them slightly out of breath. "This is called being married," she murmured.

"And going to work is called being responsible."

"When did you become the responsible one?"

"I've always been the responsible one," Joey replied with a cheeky grin, "I've just let you believe that it has always been you." She gave her wife a soft push, "Now, let me go, because I really do need to start getting ready for work."

With a groan of disappointment, Charlie reluctantly rolled off her. "I don't like responsible Joey," she moped. "She's boring."

Chuckling, Joey climbed from the bed. "You didn't think I was boring last night when I let Officer Friendly pay a visit."

Charlie's body flushed from the memories of the previous night. "Why don't you come back over here and remind me how hot, inventive and sensual Officer Friendly is?"

Joey ran her eyes along Charlie's body. "Your body is telling me that it still remembers," Joey said. She grabbed her clothes, quickly dressed and headed toward the door.

"So you're just going to leave me?"

"Yep."

Charlie let out an overly dramatic sigh and then silently appealed to her wife.

"My dear, you pout adorably," Joey told her, "And as much as I'd rather stay here with you, I can't." She closed the door behind her.

* * *

><p>Joey gulped down the last of her coffee and put the cup in the sink. "Can you drop Ruby off to school and then pick up the cake from the Diner for Georgie's homecoming," Joey asked her wife who was sitting at the table in her pjs and robe.<p>

"Yeah, sure," Charlie said. "I wish I could be there when Georgie gets out of hospital, but maybe I could duck in and see her during a break when I'm on duty."

"I'll be sure to save you some cake if you can't make it."

"Is Bianca going to be there?"

Joey nodded, "As far as I know."

The past couple of weeks, Bianca and Georgie seemed to have been able to avoid being caught, though since she and Joey knew, the couple were happy to be themselves with them and Charlie had to admit, they were an adorable couple and when all her walls were down and she could finally be herself, Georgie was like a different person; there was a light in her eyes and a smile that stayed the entire time she and Bianca were together as a couple. Only problem was, when they were together, it could be rather obvious that something was going on between them.

"I'm not sure Bianca being there is such a good idea," Charlie said.

"Considering how much time she's spent at the hospital, even before they were together, it might be a bit weird if she didn't then show up to her friend's welcome home party."

"I suppose so."

"I know you're worried about them Charlie, so am I, but hopefully, all the secrets and sneaking around won't be needed for much longer."

"If Georgie can keep her nerve and end her marriage," Charlie pointed out.

"You think she won't?" Joey said doubtfully.

"It's just that in the last few days, she's been distracted and quiet, even when Bianca has been there."

Joey had noticed that her friend had been reverting to some of her old habits, but she'd shrugged it off. "She's about to end her marriage and that's not going to be an easy thing, especially when she's seen how excited Romeo is about her coming home."

"Yeah, you're probably right." Charlie frowned and shook her head, "I can't believe I'm discussing the end of a marriage so casually and positively."

"If I thought there was a chance Georgie and Jack could be happy together, I might have thought differently about all of this, but Georgie can't be true to herself in that marriage and neither can Jack, so in this case, I think ending it is in the best interests of all involved."

"Somehow I don't think Romeo will see it like that."

"That poor kid," Joey murmured. "It's going to be hard on him and that's unfortunately unavoidable." She walked over to her wife and put her arms around her neck. "Is it wrong to say right now, how lucky I am that I have the perfect wife and child?"

"Of course not," Charlie said and brushed her lips over Joey's. "Not sure about the perfect part though."

"For you or for Ruby?"

"Both," quipped Charlie. Their daughter was still going through her tardiness stage and it was a real effort some days to get her to school on time. At least Ruby seemed to have completely forgotten about wanting siblings and to know where babies came from though, which was a relief to both of them.

"Ok, so how about almost perfect wife and child?"

"That's more like it." She leant in and kissed her wife more soundly.

"You're making it hard for me to want to leave," Joey murmured against her lips.

"That's the whole point," Charlie replied and increased the pressure with her lips.

"No, that's dirty play," Joey got out when she finally managed to push away from her wife.

"I thought you liked it when I played dirty," Charlie teased in a sexy voice.

"Oh god," Joey mumbled and felt her face flush with arousal. "I have got to get out of here."

"Have fun today," Charlie called out after her with a self-satisfied chuckle. Every morning, it seemed like one of them was always rushing off to work, but it certainly hadn't affected their morning play, though usually it was she that was left flushed and excited on her way to work, so it was always nice to get one back on Joey.

* * *

><p>Charlie paused when she saw Jack behind the counter as she entered the station at noon. She felt a little uncomfortable working with him and pretending all was fine, while knowing what she did about his wife and though she completely understood why Georgie wanted to hold off until she was out of hospital, it wasn't easy for those who knew what was about to happen, to keep up the pretence. It also didn't help that whenever she saw Jack, she kept having an aural flashback to that night when he was in the cubicle with Martha. Once, such actions would have earned her ire, but while she hardly approved of his affair, especially when it was so blatant, she was trying not to take sides, because in this instance, it wasn't a case of black and white; both Georgie and Jack had made mistakes and contributed to the failure of their marriage. She just hoped Jack was able to accept things with as minimal fuss as possible.<p>

"What a mess," she murmured to herself, before striding over to the counter.

"It's good news that Georgie is being released from the hospital today," she said to Jack.

"Yeah, it is." While Jack was happy his wife was getting better and could now come home, he was worried about how his recommitment to their marriage would hold up. When Georgie wasn't there and he could avoid Martha, thereby avoid temptation, he managed fine, but he couldn't go on avoiding Martha forever and now, with his wife coming home, he wasn't sure just how much intimacy she expected from him or if she even wanted it.

"I'll try and drop by later to see her, if I can," Charlie said.

Jack nodded.

"Is Shauna in?" she asked.

"In the locker room," he replied.

* * *

><p>Charlie leant against the doorframe of the locker room, watching while Shauna buttoned up her uniform shirt. "Late night?" Charlie asked. Her friend seemed to be having a lot of them lately.<p>

"No later than usual," she replied brusquely.

"Is everything ok Shauna?"

Shauna slammed the door of her locker shut. "I just wish people would mind their own fucking business."

"Sorry."

"I don't mean you." She sighed and lightly banged her head against the locker door. "I'm sorry, I just hate the way people are judging my mother."

Word had quickly spread about the juicy little detail that Alf Stewart was her father and sides had been taken, mostly against Ailsa, who had copped her fair share of comments, largely derogative and largely blaming her for it all. To his credit, Alf had stepped up to try to share the blame in the situation, telling everyone Shauna wouldn't be around if he hadn't played equal part in it. His actions had done little to stop the talk or get Shauna onside though, her friend remaining firmly against developing any sort of relationship with her father. Charlie wasn't sure why Shauna was so dead set against getting to know her father, having said very little, other than to repeat he hadn't wanted anything to do with them from the moment Ailsa told him she was pregnant and Charlie had decided to respect Shauna's silence on the subject until she was ready to open up.

"The downside of small towns," Charlie said.

"You can say that again." Shauna turned to face Charlie. "I knew the truth was going to come out eventually, but instead of blurting it out like I did so someone could overhear, I'd been hoping to do it a little more privately so that we could deal with things before the rest of the town got in on the act and started offering their views."

Charlie had a moment to spare a thought for Jack and Georgie and their girlfriends. Pretty soon, people would have something else to occupy their gossipy little minds and once word got out that Georgie and Jack were splitting and the reasons why and she feared for her friend. If anything, the whole Alf/Ailsa saga had once more proven the double standards when it came to public opinion and which gender was to blame, throw in Georgie leaving her husband for a woman and it was potentially a powder keg ready to go off, though she was still hoping it wouldn't be that bad, since either side wasn't entirely innocent in the matter.

"Mum doesn't deserve this," Shauna said.

"How is she holding up?"

"She's shrugging her shoulders at it and going on as normal, but I know all the talk is getting to her." Shauna pushed away from the lockers. "Can we get to work now?" she said, effectively ending the conversation.

"Sure, but if you ever need to talk."

"Yeah, I know, I can talk to you, but right now, I just want to concentrate on work."

"Let's go then."


	66. Chapter 66

"Ow," complained Shauna as Sid finished wrapping the bandage around her wrist.

"It's badly sprained, so you'll need to take it easy for the next few days."

"I can still work though, can't I?" she asked.

"It would probably be better to take some time off, but you're a cop, which in my experience, means doctor's advice is there to be largely ignored."

"Is that a yes or a no?"

"Desk duty and make sure you don't go around picking up anything heavy with that hand and try to remember that you also have bruised ribs, then you should be right."

"Don't worry Sid," Charlie said as he was leaving the room. "I'll make sure she stays at a desk."

Shauna winced at the censure in her superior's voice.

"You were reckless out there today," Charlie said to her. "I told you to hold back and wait for back up before tackling that guy."

"I know and I'm sorry I didn't listen."

"You not only put yourself into a situation where you could get hurt, but you also put me at the same risk."

"I fucked up, ok," she said defensively.

"I realise that you're having personal issues Shauna, but you don't bring your shit into work and in future, I suggest you don't party all night when you have to work the next day."

Shauna hung her head. Her wrist was killing her, her ribs were throbbing, but that was nothing compared to the embarrassment and shame she was feeling right now. She admired Charlie and today she'd made a fool of herself in front of her and worse, she had clearly disappointed Charlie. "Are you going to write me up?"

"I don't have much choice since you were hurt on duty." Charlie went and sat on the bed next to her partner. "Perhaps you should consider taking some personal time until you're over your injuries," she suggested.

"I was sent here because the station was short staffed, Charlie, you need me."

"You're not much good to anyone if your head isn't on the job and we both saw today what happens when you let your personal problems interfere."

"Is that what you're going to put in the report?"

Charlie frowned at her petulant expression. "Right now, your attitude isn't helping," she told her and Shauna looked suitably contrite. "And it would be a good idea to get your head on straight before you write up your own incident report."

"What's going to happen to me?"

"You're not the first officer to ever make a mistake or disobey an order Shauna and you're still regarded as a relatively green recruit, which may cut you some slack, provided you take responsibility for your actions and learn from them," Charlie said. "There is one thing that may change that though and that is whether the blood Sid took for testing will show anything when it's analysed."

"I admit, I was out late, but I was in no way drunk last night or hung over this morning." She didn't think she should put in her report that the reason she was tired was because she'd hooked up with a woman at the nightclub and was up most of the night having hot, but ultimately, meaningless sex with someone she'd only just met.

"Then the likelihood is, that you'll end up with desk duty for a bit and be watched a little more closely until you can prove that you're not going to make a habit out of disobeying orders."

"I love this job Charlie and I promise, I won't fuck up again."

"Don't make promises you may not be able to keep, Shauna," she said. "You're still learning and even the most experienced officer can still make a mistake, but as long as you promise to always give your best and use today as a learning experience, then this incident will end up being nothing more than a small blip in an otherwise long and distinguished career in the Police Force." Charlie's lips quirked as she added, "And one you will be able to laugh and brag about when you're retired, because that was one hell of a tackle, dumb and irresponsible, but still, the way you brought him down was kind of great."

"Will you put that in the report?" joked Shauna. She still felt dumb and embarrassed, but Charlie's words were making her feel a bit better.

"Not quite in those words, I won't and just a bit of friendly advice for the future," she said, "And that is to always remember my wife whenever we're partnered up."

"What's Joey got to do with it?"

"Put it this way, if I get hurt because you were up partying all night and fuck up again, then any reprimand you may receive from the Force will be nothing compared to what my wife will do to you."

"Noted." Shauna had little doubt that in spite of her friendly demeanour and pleasant nature, that when it came to family, Joey was not someone you wanted to get offside with.

"We should be getting back to the Station to fill Peter in and write up our reports."

"Now I'm almost tempted to take that time off."

"Peter is aware things aren't easy for you at the moment and while he won't let that be an excuse, he will be understanding and supportive."

Shauna nodded and followed her out of the room.

* * *

><p>The homecoming party was in full swing and everyone seemed to be having fun, except for one person, Joey noticed. Bianca was off in a corner on her own and Joey's heart went out to her friend. It couldn't be easy to have to keep her distance and be forced to watch the woman she loved playing happy families with her husband and son.<p>

Grabbing a couple of glasses and a bottle of wine, Joey went over to join her. "Looks like you could use some liquid courage to help you get through this."

"I need more than that," muttered Bianca. "I can't stay much longer Joey," she told her. "All I want to do is put my arms around her and hold her."

"Not the best idea," quipped Joey.

"Exactly." She sighed heavily. "I hate that we have to hide our love for each other."

"From my own experiences with Charlie, it's not easy," replied Joey. "Don't get me wrong, sneaking around and stealing kisses was exciting at times, but it was also tiring because we had to be so careful around each other whenever we weren't alone and every day, we just wished it would all be over so that we could be together as a real couple."

"God, I want that so much."

Joey looked at her friend, a little worried by something she detected in her voice. "Bianca, it will happen."

"I'm not so sure," she finally admitted to her greatest fear. "I feel like she's been drifting away from me in the last few days and I've tried putting her preoccupation down to her thinking about her impending talk with Jack, but now, I'm starting to get the feeling that she's not going to be able to go through with ending her marriage."

"She loves you Bianca, but this was always going to be hard for Georgie," Joey said to her. "Ending her marriage is a big step, especially for someone who has self-esteem issues like Georgie does and she may need some time to work herself up to it."

"I get that," she said, then shrugged. "Maybe I'm just scared and thinking the worst is going to happen, because I want her so badly." Bianca gulped down her glass in one go. "I've never felt this strongly for anyone before and I can't lose her, Joey."

"You won't lose her Bianca, because you own her heart and she wants a future with you."

"Is she strong enough to fight for us though," Bianca murmured, before downing another glass.

* * *

><p>Peter had had a few words with Shauna, both cautionary and encouraging, then sent her home for the rest of the day as soon as she'd handed in her report and so for this evening, Charlie was patrolling alone and quite by chance really, or, if she was honest with herself, through careful planning, she just happened to be in the vicinity of Georgie's place when it came time to take her break. Parking the squad car, she raced up the path toward the front door, but stopped when she spotted her friend sitting alone on the garden seat to the side of the house.<p>

"Shouldn't you be inside enjoying your homecoming party?"

Georgie shook her head. Having felt her girlfriend's eyes on her throughout the evening, while trying to maintain a happy-to-be-home-with-her-husband façade had proven too much for her and she'd had to seek some solitude from it all.

"Are you ok Georgie?"

"I can't do this Charlie."

Charlie really hoped the doubts she had expressed to her wife that morning about Georgie not being able to keep her nerve wasn't about to come to fruition. "I thought this was what you wanted Georgie."

"It's not that easy anymore Charlie."

"Have you changed your mind about Bianca?"

"God no," she blurted out. "I've finally found someone who makes me happy and who I can be myself around, it's just that," she shook her head again and looked away from Charlie, tears in her eyes.

"Ending your marriage is hard, I realise that, but avoiding what you need to do isn't going to make it any easier in the end," Charlie said softly. "You need to be true to yourself and it's time both you and Jack were honest with each other."

"That's what I'm scared of." Her murmured words were barely audible to Charlie. "Being totally honest."

"Are you afraid of how he'll react to you being gay?"

"Not so much that right now," she muttered.

"Georgie, what is going on?"

"I'm pregnant."


	67. Chapter 67

That was certainly the last thing Charlie expected to be hearing from her friend and she wasn't entirely sure she had heard it right. She looked at her friend; Georgie looked shattered and scared, but still she asked, "Are you sure?"

Georgie nodded her head. It was the first time she had said the words aloud since Sid had informed her a few days ago and even now, it still left her in a state of disbelief, not to mention, massive confusion. "Sid ran a blood test when I started feeling sick because he thought I might have been having a reaction to some of the pain medication I was on." She squeezed her eyes shut, still unwilling to believe the way things had gone. "I wish it had just been a reaction to the medication, it would have been so much easier to deal with, but it came back positive for pregnancy."

Charlie was at a loss as to what to say to her friend as she continued on.

"And I know exactly when it happened, because it was the first and only time I'd slept with Jack in ages." Georgie sighed heavily and looked away, her voice low and Charlie had to lean closer to hear her. "It was the night we returned from the city and I couldn't stop thinking about Bianca staying behind with Shannon and what they must have been doing together. I was so confused; I was a married woman and I shouldn't have been jealous, yet I saw it as proof Shannon was the type of woman Bianca was attracted to, not someone like me and all my insecurities took hold. I had a few drinks to drown my sorrows, which led to a few more and by the time Jack came home, I was in such a state, I threw myself at him like some sad and desperate loser. It meant absolutely nothing and I didn't enjoy it, which only makes it worse, because now it's going to change my life forever. Oh god, I can't believe I let this happen," she sobbed, her head in her hands. "I'm so fucking pathetic."

"Hey," Charlie said, "I don't want to hear you putting yourself down like that."

"Why not, it's true."

"No it's not," Charlie stated adamantly. "You were dealing with a lot of emotions at the time and you ended up doing what a lot of people do," she said. "That doesn't make you pathetic, it just makes you human." Charlie placed her hand on her friend's shoulder. She guessed now it made sense why Georgie had been distracted and quiet the last few days. Shit what a mess, she told herself. It was going to be hard enough when it was just her leaving her husband, but now that a baby was in the picture, things just got a hell of a lot more complicated, especially if Georgie did go ahead and end her marriage; how was Jack going to react to another baby and to the news his pregnant wife wanted to leave him for another woman?

"I've been hoping it was all a bad dream and I'd wake up soon but it's not, it's a fucking nightmare." Of all the times for this to happen, when she finally had a reason and the courage to leave her husband and start anew with someone who made her happy, only now she was tied once more to her husband. "This is so fucked up," Georgie bitterly said. "And it changes everything."

"Does it change your feelings for Bianca?" Charlie asked her softly.

"I've never felt this way about anyone like I do for Bianca and with her, I've finally found someone who can make me happy and I can be myself with, but I'm carrying my husband's baby Charlie and as much as I want to believe that changes nothing, it does." She wiped away her fresh tears. "He married me because I got pregnant with Romeo and our son is what has kept us together this long and I know Jack, he will want to do right by this baby as well." If he ever forgives her for this, she added silently.

"Jack will always be this baby's father, regardless of whether you're together or not," Charlie told her. "And you shouldn't feel like you have to stay with Jack just because of the baby, that wouldn't really be fair to anyone, especially you." She turned her friend to face her. "Georgie, now that you've acknowledged your feelings for a woman and have admitted you're gay, do you really think you can just suppress it to stay in a stale marriage?"

"I did it once before when I got pregnant with Romeo."

"Did you have a Bianca in your life back then to encourage you to be true to yourself?" Charlie said.

"There was no one back then," she murmured and she looked away again. "I do want to be with Bianca, I want that so much it hurts, but we've barely even begun, so how can I expect her to be a parent to a baby as well as to Romeo?" she asked.

"I think Bianca at least deserves a chance to make that decision for herself."

"And if her decision is that it's too hard and she wants out, then what?"

"Then you have friends who will help you through this," Charlie told her. "This is your life Georgie and your decision alone but you do need to talk to Jack, tell him about the baby and you need to do the same with Bianca."

"I love my son more than anything and I have never once regretted having Romeo, but more kids was never on the cards, especially now," she explained. "I just don't think I have the strength to do this alone if things don't work out, even with friends like you and Joey helping."

"People are always surprised when they find out Joey and I had problems that nearly destroyed our marriage, but when you come close to losing what you want the most in this world, then you fight for it and you become stronger for it."

"I can never be as strong as you."

"You might surprise yourself," Charlie said. "At the end of the day though, you need to think of what is best for you and not anyone else, because if you're not happy, then that will affect the people around you as well."

"I need more time to think this through," she said. "Please don't say anything to anyone about this, especially to Bianca," she pleaded with Charlie. "I don't want her to know I'm pregnant just yet."

"You're what!"

Georgie shot to her feet at Bianca's startled exclamation and winced in pain that sudden movement caused; her ribs still bothered her at times, as did her broken arm and the headaches that came and went, but none of that compared to the look on her girlfriend's face right now.

Bianca was caught between rushing over to Georgie to ease her obvious pain and running away but then the enormity of what she'd just heard really hit her and it hit her hard and without another word, flight won out and she was off.

"Bianca!" Joey called out after her. The devastated look on Georgie's face at Bianca's escape broke her heart, but she was just as worried for her other friend.

"Go after Bianca," Charlie told her as if she read her mind. "I'll stay with Georgie."

"I'll call you later," Joey said and rushed off after her fleeing friend.

* * *

><p>"I finally caught up with Bianca and took her home," Joey told Charlie an hour later over the phone. "I made her a coffee, but she was asleep before I even brought the mug into her." She felt a bit guilty about encouraging a little too much liquid courage at the party, though she had tried to stop Bianca getting another bottle and then had tried to stop her going in search of Georgie, fearing she might have said or done something she might end up later regretting. She wished she'd tried even harder to stop her now. "I hope you don't mind, but I thought it best that since Aden was watching April with Ruby at our place, that I let April stay the night with us."<p>

"That's fine and it's probably best she doesn't see her sister like that." Charlie really wanted to be home with her wife right now, but she still had a couple hours of her shift left.

"How is Georgie?"

"Confused as hell, not to mention scared," Charlie replied. "I sat with her for a bit longer after you had gone, but then Jack came looking for her and Georgie was trying so hard to act like her whole world hadn't just fallen down on her as she followed him back inside."

"Poor Georgie," Joey said. "She loves Bianca and Bianca has fallen so hard for her, but what if this is the end for them?"

"Then maybe they're not meant to be."

"I don't believe that."

"Joey, all we can do is be there for them and if they mean as much to each other as we believe they do, then we just have to hope they have the strength to fight for each other."

* * *

><p>Groaning, Bianca forced her eyes open, her hand going to her head in a lame attempt to ease the throbbing in her skull, but that was nothing to the memories of last night. Hearing her girlfriend say she was pregnant had been a massive shock and after Joey had taken her home, she hadn't been in the mood to talk, so she'd feigned sleep and then went out to look for some more liquid comfort after Joey had left.<p>

The latter part of the night was a blur and she had lost track of how much she drank last night, but if her head was anything to go by, it was a lot more than she usually drank. One thing she was sure of though and that was that drinking herself into oblivion had done nothing to ease the pain she was feeling at the knowledge she may have lost the woman she loved more than anything.

A soft sound next to her finally had her alcohol-fogged mind registering three things; first, she wasn't in her own bed, secondly, she was naked and thirdly, she wasn't alone. Turning her head, she stared at the still sleeping Shauna and the implications of her predicament washed over her. "Oh dear god, what have I done?"


	68. Chapter 68

"Rise and shine," Joey sang out as she set the breakfast tray on the side table next to the bed.

"Huh, what?" mumbled Charlie.

"It's time to wake up."

Yawning, Charlie opened an eye and glared at her wife. "What time is it?"

"8.30."

"Shit!" Charlie said and bolted up in bed.

"Relax Charlie, you're not on duty until 10."

"But I missed morning snuggles," she pouted. "You really should have woken me earlier so that we could have, you know," she wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.

"After you didn't get home from your shift until late last night, I thought it better to let you sleep a bit longer than usual," Joey told her. "Rather than risk grumpy Charlie making life hell for everyone today."

"Grumpy Charlie!" she cried out indignantly. "I'll have you know that once the uniform is on, any tiredness, grumpiness or bitchiness miraculously disappears and I'm the personification of professionalism."

"I suspect there is a trail of colleagues and suspects who have been on the sharp end of your tongue when you haven't had a decent night's sleep and," she leered at her wife, "You forget that I've seen you naked on duty, Miss Personification of Professionalism."

"Ooh, you don't play fair," complained Charlie.

"And that's why you love me."

"Even though you're the one who is actually grumpy when you don't get enough sleep." She pulled Joey down onto the bed and kissed her. "You still should have woken me earlier," she murmured against her wife's lips.

"As much as I love our early morning snuggles and such, I rest a lot easier knowing you've had a goodnights sleep and are ready to face the day with a clear head," Joey said and then added a little more tersely, "Unlike some people."

Charlie knew exactly what her wife was talking about and she could feel the residual anger coursing through her as she held her. "Shauna stuffed up yesterday, she knows that and she's sorry for it."

"That's fine for her to say and if she wants to fuck up her life and her career by partying all night, then she can go right ahead and do that, but not when it affects others."

"Shauna has learnt her lesson and since she's been assigned to desk duty for the next month, then the most danger she could cause is going to be paper cuts and misfiled folders," Charlie told her. "And I did add the threat of what you'd do to her if she did anything like that again when I'm around."

"I'm never going to get used to the dangers of your job," Joey said softly.

"I know baby and I wish I could offer absolute guarantees."

"But you can't."

"No, but as always, I promise to do everything within my power to come home to you and Ruby."

"That's good enough for me." She brushed her lips over Charlie's then bounded off the bed. "Speaking of Ruby, I need to get her and April to school, so I will see you later."

"Thanks for brekkie by the way."

"It was the only way I could ensure you'd have more than a liquid brekkie."

"Coffee is a great brekkie," Charlie said.

"Eat your cereal and toast," Joey called out over her shoulder as she walked from the room.

* * *

><p>Bianca splashed more cold water on her face. She felt utterly wretched and it was nothing to do with the amount of alcohol she had consumed the night before.<p>

_"I don't want her to know I'm pregnant just yet."_

She squeezed her eyes shut as if trying to block out those words but they were forever etched into her memory, as was this morning. She couldn't remember meeting up with Shauna or what came after, but waking up naked in her bed told her everything she needed to know and she'd crept from Shauna's bed without waking her and slunk home with the heavy burden of guilt weighing down upon her shoulders.

Guilt was something she had felt a lot of since she'd fallen for Georgie; first because of her inappropriate feelings toward a married woman, then she had felt bad for being with Shauna the first time because her heart already belonged to another and it had felt like she was betraying Georgie even though Georgie had no idea of her feelings at the time and she and Shauna had never even slept together, yet despite how bad she felt back then, that was nothing compared to now. She and Georgie had confessed their feelings for each other and pledged to be together, which made what she'd done with Shauna last night flat out cheating and she hated herself for it.

How could she tell Georgie what she'd done? Chances were, the moment Georgie found out she was carrying her husband's baby, she had probably lost her, but even if the baby hadn't spelt the end for them, then sleeping with another woman most certainly would.

Then there was Shauna to consider. After their breakup, Shauna had been hesitant in remaining just friends, but lately, they'd been on their way to getting past the awkward ex stage and start a friendship and now that was probably fucked up as well and she'd certainly hate to think that last night might lead Shauna into believing they may be more than just friends.

"Why didn't I just stay home last night?" she sobbed to herself in the bathroom mirror.

* * *

><p>"I told you, I saw her with my own eyes," Colleen stated to Leah and Irene, plus anyone inside the Diner who couldn't fail to hear her raised voice, including Charlie, who was still waiting for her coffee order. "Sneaking out of that woman's home at the crack of dawn and wearing the same clothes I saw her in the day before."<p>

"Who cares if they are sleeping together," Leah said. "Both Bianca and Shauna are single and they're not hurting anyone."

"They're both women," an outraged Colleen said as if that was the most obvious thing wrong with it all.

"Of course they are," Leah said with a roll of her eyes at Colleen's attitude. "They're both lesbians, so being with another woman is kind of the point."

"It's wrong," Colleen said. "She's a school teacher and she shouldn't be cavorting her..."

"Oh give it a rest Colleen," an irritated Irene interrupted her. "And try joining the 21st Century, where it's ok for two consenting adults to be together."

"But they're women!"

"I think we've already established that," Leah said.

"Think of the children and the message those two are sending to them," Colleen carried on. "One a police officer, the other a school teacher, both carrying on like that."

"Anyone would think that teaching the young about tolerance, acceptance and equality is a bad thing," mused Leah. "And this conversation is now over, because I won't have malicious gossip, intolerance or hateful comments being thrown around in my Diner."

Charlie almost felt like cheering Leah for shutting down Colleen, especially since she'd had the same attitude when she'd found out about her and Joey being married, but she was more concerned by there being truth to the gossip that Colleen was spreading. If Bianca really had spent the night with Shauna, then an already messy situation had just got a whole lot messier.

And if at all possible, things just got even messier. "Shit, Georgie," she muttered when she spied her friend at the entrance to the Diner. One look at her face told her that Georgie had heard it all. "Damn it," Charlie thought and went after her friend when Georgie turned and left.

"Georgie," she called out and was relieved when her friend stopped. Charlie could see that Georgie was struggling to hold in her tears and wouldn't look her in the eye. "Look Georgie, what Colleen said was probably just gossip or a misunderstanding."

"You don't believe that anymore than I do," she replied. "Besides, what does it matter? I'm a married woman and Bianca is single, so she's free to sleep with whoever she chooses and I have no right to expect otherwise."

"It's ok to admit that this hurts," Charlie gently said. "You love her."

"And I thought she loved me," Georgie said so quietly Charlie couldn't make out her words.

Her friend was already so torn over her pregnancy and what her next move should be and Charlie now feared that Bianca's actions may have decided the next move for her. A quiet sob came from Georgie and Charlie just wanted to hold her and comfort her but she could already feel her friend drawing away from her.

"Talk to Bianca," she told her friend. "There may be a perfectly good explanation."

"Yeah, she's decided a pregnant girlfriend is too much to deal with and prefers someone like Shauna, free of the hassles and not a coward who is hiding in the closet."

"You're not a coward."

"I'm still married to a man who I'm not in love with and I've known has been cheating on me for a long time and let's not forget that I've been hiding who I am from everyone, even myself," she said despondently. "I am a coward, I always have been."

"Georgie!" Charlie called out as her friend raced away from her.

"Please leave me alone Charlie, I need time to think."

* * *

><p>When Bianca opened the front door, Joey was a little shocked to see the state her friend was in, with Bianca's eyes puffy and red from crying.<p>

"I took April to school and Gina said you'd called in sick, so I thought I'd come by before work to see how you were," Joey told her as she followed her into the house and closed the door behind her. "Is everything ok?"

"My world is crumbling around me Joey," Bianca sobbed. "I've lost her."

"Georgie's pregnancy doesn't automatically have to mean the end of things for the two of you."

"Maybe not, but sleeping with another woman last night will."

"What!" Joey screeched, then flushed, embarrassed at the high-pitched sound that had just come from her mouth.

* * *

><p>"Bugger," Shauna muttered and started deleted what she'd just typed. She wasn't the best typist with two hands, so one-handed was proving to be downright time consuming, but she didn't want to admit defeat just yet, in case Peter decided she wasn't up to it and sent her home. Peter had been fair in his comments to her over yesterday's incident and while she had avoided a written reprimand for disobeying orders and gotten off with a warning and a month of desk duty, he'd made it clear that was the one and only time he'd be so lenient with her and so now she needed to prove to both he and Charlie, that she was up to the job and capable of learning from her mistakes, especially if she was to regain their respect, which might be a little hard to do if she couldn't even type up a damn report.<p>

"Bugger," she muttered as she made another error. A shadow fell over her desk and she looked up to find Charlie standing there, watching her. "Honestly, I can do this," she told her. "It just might take a while." She sat back in her chair when Charlie just continued to look at her. "You have something to say to me?"

"I was in the Diner before and heard some interesting news."

"And if you're telling me, then I'm assuming it's in some way about me."

"You could say that," Charlie said. She hated listening to gossip, but more than one life was going to be affected by this and she was finding it impossible to stay out of it, especially after seeing how hurt Georgie had been by the news. "It seems like you and Bianca are back together again."

Shauna snorted and shook her head. "No we're not."

"So Bianca wasn't seen sneaking out of your place this morning?"

Shauna just shrugged noncommittally. She still felt like a fool after yesterday's debacle at work, so she really wasn't up to this, especially on top of waking up this morning and finding herself in an empty bed. Fair enough if Bianca had somewhere to be, but a note or something for last night wouldn't have hurt.

"And according to Colleen Smart, she was still wearing the clothes she saw Bianca in yesterday."

"Oh and of course that naturally means that Bianca spent the night having hot and heavy sex with me," Shauna replied sarcastically.

"Well did she?"

"What goes on in my house and in my bed is nobody's business, not even yours," snapped Shauna.


	69. Chapter 69

_"Georgie's pregnancy doesn't automatically have to mean the end of things for the two of you."_

_"Maybe not, but sleeping with another woman last night will."_

_"What!" Joey screeched, then flushed, embarrassed at the high-pitched sound that had just come from her mouth._

"I spent the night with Shauna," Bianca ashamedly admitted to Joey as she sunk down onto the couch.

Joey sat next to her and put a comforting hand on her knee. "Oh Bianca."

"Normally, waking up next to a beautiful woman is a good thing, but this morning, all I could think of was what I've probably thrown away for a night of some drunken sex." Bianca put her head in her hands. "I still can't believe I've done this," she said despondently. "Georgie is going to hate me."

"She won't hate you," Joey assured her.

"She won't want to be with me though."

That was the one thing Joey couldn't reassure her friend on, because she honestly had no idea how Georgie was going to react to this; on the one hand, their friend had turned a blind eye to her husband's infidelity, but on the other hand though, Georgie wasn't in love with Jack, whereas she was in love with Bianca, which could make all the difference in how Georgie reacted to Bianca's infidelity.

"I'm no better than Jack," Bianca whispered, though more to herself than to Joey. "First her own husband cheats on her and then what do I do at the first sign of trouble between us?" She shook her head, furious with herself. "And then there is Shauna. I've gone and dragged her into this mess as well." She looked appealingly at Joey. "What am I meant to say to her about last night, especially since she has no idea about Georgie and I, so the truth isn't an option and I don't want to hurt her by telling her that it meant nothing."

"You'll find the right words when the time comes," Joey told her. "And with Georgie, you need to talk to her and be completely open and honest with her," she said to Bianca. "About everything."

"What do you mean?" Bianca said. "About everything?"

"Like your own fears and insecurities about this relationship," Joey gently said. "At the party, you said you were scared and thinking of worst case scenarios because you wanted her so badly and were afraid of losing it all."

"And you think that was my insecurities showing?"

"Love can be a scary thing at the best of times, throw in the added complication that you've fallen for a married woman who's been firmly in the closet her whole life, then I think it is only natural for you to have doubts and be scared about whether or not you really can be together." Joey took Bianca's hand and squeezed gently. "You were already expressing your fears last night before you even heard about the baby and then when you did hear, your first instinct was to run from her without even giving Georgie a chance to explain."

"What's to explain?" bemoaned Bianca. "She's having her husband's baby and knowing Georgie, she's going to use this as a reason to stay in her sham of a marriage, rather than risk coming out and being with me."

"You almost make it sound like Georgie got pregnant by intention."

"I don't think that at all," Bianca said and she was aware she probably wasn't making much sense, but she needed to say what was on her mind. "But I do believe she was looking for an excuse to take the coward's way out and now she has it."

"It sounds more likely to me, that you are the one looking for an excuse."

"Don't be ridiculous!" snapped Bianca. "I love Georgie and I want to be with her more than anything."

"Exactly," Joey calmly replied. "You love her and you're so scared your heart is going to be shattered, because deep down, you don't think she will ever be strong enough to leave her husband for you and so you're using the baby as an excuse to end things now and save yourself more pain down the road," Joey said. "And you even sabotaged things by sleeping with Shauna."

Bianca stared at her. "You think that's what I did?"

* * *

><p>Charlie knew Shauna had a point; it wasn't any of her business who Shauna decided to take to her bed and she should drop this right now, but the image of Georgie's devastated expression kept intruding into her thoughts and was overriding her own commonsense.<p>

"And wasn't it you who said to me only yesterday that I shouldn't be bringing my shit into work?" Shauna continued on. "In which case, why are we now having this very personal conversation then?"

"You're right and I'm sorry for butting in, it's just that."

"It's just that what?" demanded Shauna. "You don't think I'm good enough for your friend Bianca?"

"That's not it at all." This really wasn't going well, Charlie thought.

"Then what is this about? I mean, why do you even care if I am sleeping with Bianca or not?"

And here was the one question Charlie couldn't truthfully answer without divulging Georgie's secret.

Shauna sighed heavily and rubbed her eyes, feeling incredibly tired all of a sudden. "I am so sick of people talking behind my back. If it's not about mum and Alf, it's about who I choose to sleep with. Well I'm single and the people I see are single."

Except Bianca isn't single, but Charlie wasn't able to tell Shauna that.

"So everyone else," Shauna stared pointedly at Charlie, "Should just mind their own business."

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said anything."

"You know, I'm seriously considering leaving this town the minute my secondment here is over, instead of trying to go for a more permanent position."

"There's no need to leave like that," Charlie told her.

"Why not? Aside from mum, there's nothing keeping me here and I can still come back and visit her if I did leave."

* * *

><p>"You're afraid of being hurt and abandoned by Georgie and so yeah, I think it's entirely possible that your actions last night, first in running away and then in seeking comfort elsewhere, was a subconscious defence mechanism to protect yourself."<p>

Bianca took time to consider Joey's words. The closer the reality came to her and Georgie being together, the more fearful she had become that something would stand in their way and she would lose out big time. "Maybe you are right and I did use the baby as an excuse to run away, but it was already too late," she murmured tiredly. "It already hurts so much Joey and while I've been so worried about whether Georgie would have the strength to end her marriage, now I'm left wondering if I have the strength to go forward with this." She searched Joey's eyes, as if for the answers. "How did I go from wanting to put my arms around her and holding her, to thinking about walking away from her?"

Joey's heart broke at her friend's desolation. "You need to talk to Georgie," she said softly.

"Are you just going to keep telling me that?"

"Yes," she replied. "The situation you and Georgie have found yourself in was never going to be easy to overcome and while the baby and Shauna have complicated that even more, you won't know where you stand until you talk to Georgie."

"And if she says she can't forgive me for sleeping with Shauna and tells me that it's over?"

"Then you have a decision to make."

"What's that?"

"You give up and try to move on or you fight like hell for her forgiveness and the chance to be with the one person who makes you happy and make a family for yourself with her." Joey looked carefully at Bianca. "That is if the baby doesn't scare you off completely."

"Whether I've used the baby as an excuse or not, it doesn't alter the fact that this baby does change everything. It ties her even more firmly to Jack and honestly, as much as I love kids, I had never given a moment's thought to having kids with Georgie, hell, we've barely even started a relationship, if you'd even call sneaking around like we have been doing a relationship."

"You do have a lot of things to consider," Joey said in understanding. "And so does Georgie. One thing I do know for certain though and that is that she loves you Bianca, but like you, she's confused more than ever right now; she's dealing with her feelings for you and wanting to end her marriage and now there is the baby."

"And Shauna," she murmured.

"Talk to her."

"I can't right now," Bianca replied. "I need time to work things out in my head first."

Joey nodded and got to her feet. "Don't wait too long though, or it really may be too late."

* * *

><p>Georgie crawled onto her bed, tears flowing down her face as she curled herself around a pillow. The entire walk home, she'd tried to convince herself of what Charlie had said, that Colleen could just be gossiping or completely misunderstood what she saw, but no matter how many times she told herself that, it didn't work. She believed Bianca had spent the night with Shauna and if she was honest with herself, she couldn't really blame Bianca for giving up on them. It was all her own fault anyway; she was the one dumb enough to get pregnant, then she let Bianca find out in the worst possible way and now because of her own stupidity, she'd sent Bianca straight into the arms of another woman, one who no doubt could give Bianca exactly what she needed and without all the baggage that came with being with her.<p>

"I'm such a fucking weak coward," she sobbed into the pillow and hated herself even more.

How the hell was she going to get through this? Would she ever be able to move on past last night? She had let Jack get away with his affair for so long, so it should be easy enough to do the same with Bianca, besides, it's not like they were exclusive or anything, which meant it wasn't really cheating and so Bianca could sleep with as many women as she chose to, she tried to reason with herself, but the thought of Bianca with any other woman hurt her heart and Georgie understood right then that this was so very different than with Jack. This wasn't just the case of a husband in a passionless marriage straying, this was the woman she loved and adored spending the night with another woman and boy, did it hurt like hell.

Yet the thought of having no future with Bianca hurt her even more.

Pain shot through her ribs when she rolled over too quickly, but she ignored it, just as she ignored the headache that was throbbing behind her eyes. She needed to work out what her next move was. Did she stay with Jack now because of the baby? She still had no idea how her husband was going to react to this. He'd done the right thing by her with Romeo, but they had been in a very different situation back then when she was pregnant with their first child and he had Martha in his life now, though since the accident, he did seem to have recommitted to their marriage. The problem now was, she was the one who wasn't so committed to the marriage and since Bianca had awakened something that had been buried deep within her, she realised that it would be all but impossible to suppress those feelings again, which would make staying with Jack just for the baby's sake extremely difficult.

Could she go through this pregnancy alone then? Or did she find a way to move past Bianca and Shauna and for once in her life, fight for what she really wanted and that was to still have a future of some sort with Bianca?

She was uncertain as to what decision she would end up making, but for now, there was no use lying here and crying like a baby, that never got her anywhere and Jack was going to be home soon, so she needed to freshen up and prepare herself to tell Jack about their baby, because that was the one thing she couldn't avoid doing.


	70. Chapter 70

Charlie dipped another chip into the sauce and popped it into her mouth. She really should eat more healthily so as to set a good example to her daughter, but she could never go past a nice fried chip, especially when she was stealing them from Joey. She moved in for another and dodged her wife's swiping hand to successfully land herself another chip, which then found itself in the sauce and then her mouth.

"I really did put my foot in it this morning with Shauna," Charlie told her as another chip appeared in her hand and quickly disappeared into her mouth. They'd been discussing their friends' situation for the past ten minutes, each having filled the other in on their morning discussions while they sat on the beach eating their lunch. "I never should have said anything at all to her."

Joey wanted to be annoyed at Shauna, but that wasn't fair to her; Shauna had no idea that Bianca was supposed to be in a relationship with Georgie and they could hardly tell her anything to set her straight.

"What do you think Georgie and Bianca's chances are of getting through this and being together?"

"Not great," admitted Charlie. "On top of Bianca finding out about the pregnancy the way she did, Georgie now knows about Bianca and Shauna and she was pretty cut up about it."

"So was Bianca," murmured Joey. "She was in a right mess when I saw her and was feeling incredibly guilt ridden," she explained. "I thought Georgie had been the only one who had doubts, but so does Bianca and until this morning, I don't think I realised just how stressful this has been for her, even before she found out about Georgie's pregnancy."

"Keeping our relationship secret was tiring work at times," Charlie said. "But at least neither of us were married or in another relationship, so I can only imagine the strain Georgie and Bianca found themselves under."

"What those two really need to do, is to sit down and talk to each other."

"After the revelations of the last day or so, getting them in the same room to talk might be a bit of a difficult task to manage."

"Can't you just lock Georgie and Bianca into a cell until they sort things out between them?" suggested Joey as she once more failed to stop the chippy thief. She could protest all she wanted, but that usually encouraged her wife to steal even more, which is why she now found it safer to just order a larger bag of chips and let Charlie steal some while pretending to offer some resistance.

"Yeah, that'd be real easy to explain to Georgie's husband when he comes into work and finds his wife in a cell with their son's school teacher."

"Maybe I could trick them onto a charter and leave them stranded out at sea."

"Or maybe we should just let them sort it out for themselves."

"At this rate, that's not going to happen and Bianca will be miserable and Georgie stuck in a marriage with Jack."

"Joey, as hard as it is to sit back and watch, at the end of the day, it's their life and their choices to make."

Joey sighed and reluctantly nodded in agreement. "It sucks though."

"Yeah, it does."

"And I still wish Colleen hadn't blabbed it like that," Joey said. "As hard as it was always going to be for Georgie to find out, it would have been so much better for her to have heard it straight from Bianca, rather than that old gossip shouting it out for everyone to hear."

"Remind me to never get on the bad side of Colleen Smart."

"It doesn't matter what side you're on," Joey said. "If its gossip, she'll spread it, whether friend or foe."

"God, I hope I don't grow old and become like that."

"Age won't change you my dear," Joey assured her. "And you'll still be the same gorgeous babe I married, only you'll be part of the blue rinse brigade." She twirled a finger through Charlie's hair. "Yep, definitely blue to match those eyes of yours."

Charlie shook her head. "No way, I intend to go grey with grace."

"You say that now," Joey said mockingly, "But what about when more grey strands join this one?"

"What!" Charlie shouted out. "I have a grey hair!" Her eyes narrowed when her wife burst into laughter at her reaction. "You brat!" She launched a tickle attack on her wife that ended with them clutched in a passionate embrace.

"Maybe we should go to the squad car," Joey murmured breathlessly against her wife's lips when she finally recalled where they were; on a very public beach. "But then your uniform might get all mussed up."

"There's already sand I'm going to need to shake out of it, so what's a few creases?" She grinned wickedly at her wife. "I know a remote spot where we can park."

"Then what are we waiting for?"

* * *

><p>"Yes, yes, oh god, yes, yes," Joey panted, her hands pressed firmly against the car ceiling as she straddled Charlie's lap, her hips rising and sinking in time to the thrusts of her wife's fingers buried deep inside her. Her shirt was open, her bra pushed above her breasts to give Charlie access to her nipples. "Fuck yeah," she moaned, loving the feel of Charlie's mouth over her nipples, her tongue giving playful swipes as she gently nibbled on them.<p>

The picnic blanket they had sat on to share their lunch, was now covering the backseat and Charlie's uniform trousers were down around her ankles to avoid any risk of their love making staining them, which meant she could feel the wet heat of her wife against the bare skin of her legs. Her wife's breath was becoming more ragged and she increased the speed of her thrusts and sucked harder on the nipples. She really did love Joey's nipples when she was about to climax; they were pert, hard and filled her mouth in such a delightful way.

Joey took one of her hands from the roof and moved it between their gyrating bodies. "My god, you are so wet for me," she murmured on feeling the soaked panties beneath her fingers.

"Always for you," gasped Charlie as her wife's fingers found their way under the waistband and to her liquid core and rubbed hard against her clit. "Oh fuck me please Joey," she begged and her wife complied, sliding a finger inside.

Anyone walking past would have little doubt what was going on inside the squad car, from the rocking to the fogged up windows and if they got closer, they would have heard the sounds of heavy panting and skin on skin as the two lovers frantically drove each other to climax, their mouths against each other stifling their cries of ecstasy.

"Oh man, that was so hot," Joey murmured appreciatively and leant back, her shoulders resting against the back of the front seat while her wife's fingers remained inside her.

"This is hotter," Charlie said, thrusting gently and flicking her thumb across Joey's over sensitised clit a few times and watched as she climaxed again, her breasts jutting out and jiggling as her body bucked in pleasure. "You are so beautiful when you come," she whispered in reverence.

"You make me feel beautiful," Joey whispered back and fell forward, her forehead against Charlie's as her body finally came down from her climax. After staying like that for a minute or two, she slid off to the side and started to pull her bra down over her breasts. "We both need to get back to work."

"I can't believe I just made love to my wife in the back of a squad car," Charlie said as they cleaned themselves up and tidied up their clothes. "And while wearing my uniform. What if someone had seen us?"

"A bit late to worry about that now," Joey said. "And you should just admit that it's been a fantasy of yours to have sex in a squad car ever since you first wore that uniform."

"Maybe since I fell in love with you." Their lips found each other again. "This is all your fault though, because you're just so irresistible."

"I aim to please."

"Oh and please me you did." Charlie cupped her wife's cheek. "I can never get enough of you."

"It's going to have to be enough for now."

"I know and I'm not sure how I'm going to finish my shift after this."

"You'll manage like the true professional that you are."

"What we just did was hardly professional on my part though," Charlie pointed out.

"It was your lunch break and that blanket is ours, so technically, we made love on your own time and on our own property."

Charlie grinned at her. "I like the way your mind works." And technically, she got to keep her mantle of Miss Personification of Professionalism, which always seemed to end up with her being naked, though at least today, she was only half undressed.

"Well, right now, my mind is saying we need to get into the front seat before we start all over again."

"Brilliant thinking."

"And you might want to be the one who cleans the squad car today, just to be on the safe side."

"God I love you."

"I love you too baby, but we really really do have to get a move on now."

"You're right." She yelped when Joey slapped her on the arse as she was getting out of the back. "Joey!"

"I just can't believe you are going commando right now."

"Please don't do or say anything more that gets me going again," Charlie said in a strained voice. Her underwear had been drenched with evidence of their lovemaking and she'd had to remove them completely and so as her wife had pointed out, she was now going commando. "Or I really won't make it through the rest of the day."

"Lucky for you then, that you always leave a spare set of clothes at the station."

"Usually for when I get dirty in a work related incident," Charlie said. "And not because I got down and dirty with my wife during a break."

"You might want to start keeping a few extra pairs of knickers in your locker in case of future down and dirty incidents," Joey said and she climbed into the passenger seat.

Charlie shook her head in resignation; it was official, she was totally under her wife's spell and she loved it.


	71. Chapter 71

"Nothing happened," Shauna said to Bianca. She'd been hoping for a quiet lunch away from everyone, only she had ended up running into the last person she wanted to see right now.

Bianca stared at Shauna, momentarily confused as to what she meant by her statement.

"We didn't have sex last night," Shauna clarified for her.

"We didn't?"

"I'm not sure what's more insulting," she said, extremely pissed off by Bianca's response and tone. "That you're so obviously relieved that we didn't have sex or that you thought we had sex only it was so unforgettably great that you forgot that night entirely."

"I'm sorry Shauna, it's just that I drank too much, then woke up naked in your bed and I can't remember much of last night at all."

"You want to know what happened last night?" she said. "Well, after everything that happened yesterday, I needed to unwind, so I went for a walk and who should I find staggering around drunk? My ex, Bianca Scott and being the friend I thought I was, I decided to help out a friend and since I figured you wouldn't be out on the piss if April was home alone, I took you back to my place seeing as it was closer. I should have known better, what with the gossip whores in this town with their eyes everywhere, just waiting to spread the news."

"And so nothing happened?" She was still in a state of disbelief at this change in her fortunes.

Shauna raised her arm so Bianca could see the bandage on her wrist. "Between this and you being so drunk, you practically passed out before I even finished undressing you to put you to bed, neither of us were in a fit state for much, let alone sex. And for the record, when I did put you to bed, you were still in your underwear, so you must have woken up sometime during the night to take the rest off." She snorted in a moment of humour, "Since I'm staying at my mum's, it's probably a good thing I did put you in my bed and not on the couch, where mum would have walked in on you in all your naked glory."

Bianca blushed. That certainly would have been embarrassing.

"Maybe I should have just ripped your clothes off and fucked your brains out though," Shauna added snarkily. "At least then I'd finally have gotten something out of this so-called friendship."

The retort was like a slap in the face for Bianca, but she probably deserved it for the way she'd treated Shauna. "Again Shauna, I'm sorry."

"For what?" Shauna queried. "For sneaking from my bed without even having the decency to talk to me first or even wake me or for treating me like I mean so little?"

"All of that and for dragging you into this mess."

"By mess, do you mean what I know about Jack's wife?"

"What about Georgie?" Bianca said, feigning ignorance, while her heart was nervously racing.

"Let's just say that you're a very talkative drunk."

Bianca paled and closed her eyes, dreading what she may have said and wondering how she could have been so stupid and careless and with Shauna of all people. She took a deep breath and asked, "What did I say?"

"A lot of things Jack might not like to hear," she replied. "Like his pregnant wife is a dyke and that you've been sneaking behind his back and trying to get into her pants."

"It's not like that," Bianca said defensively.

"Honestly, I don't care what you get up to with someone else's wife, but Jack is a colleague and though I've yet to meet his wife, she is also and so I don't appreciate knowing any of this or the position knowing this puts me in."

"Georgie does plan to end her marriage and be with me," Bianca told her, though as things stood now, she had no idea if that was ever going to happen. At least her sleeping with Shauna was no longer going to be an issue, but there was still more they had to deal with yet.

"Lucky you, getting what you want," muttered Shauna.

"Do you plan on saying anything?"

"Well, if I did, it would certainly stop people talking about me and my mum with something this new and juicy to sink their gossipy little teeth into," Shauna said and Bianca waited nervously for her to continue. "But unlike half of this town, I'm not into spreading gossip, even if it's true and it's really not my place to judge or tattle or interfere in anyway, but a word of advice, don't leave the lies going too long, because it never works out in the end."

"Georgie just needs some time," Bianca said. "Because right now, things are complicated."

"Yeah, I'm guessing her having a pesky husband who she is pregnant to and another kid does kind of throw a kink into your plans with her."

"There's more to this than just Georgie and me," Bianca said. "But until Georgie speaks to Jack, I'm not going to say anything more."

Shauna crossed her arms across her chest and glared at Bianca as something else occurred to her. "She's the reason why you wanted nothing to really happen between us when we first started dating and why you dumped me, isn't she?" she demanded and Bianca nodded.

"I tried to deny my feelings for her for so long, because I honestly never expected they'd be reciprocated and so nothing would ever come of my feelings," she explained. "And I'm truly sorry that I led you on, when deep down, I knew nothing was ever going to happen between us, because I was already in love with someone else."

"You made it pretty obvious from the start that you weren't looking for a lasting relationship and neither was I to begin with, only I stupidly let myself fall for you and started wanting more."

"I'm sorry Shauna."

"Stop saying you're sorry," she snapped, "Because it doesn't help, no matter how many times you say it." She took a calming breath. "I helped you last night because you needed a friend to look out for you, but I'm not so sure that I want to be your friend anymore Bianca."

"Shauna."

"Don't," she snapped at her again. "I have my own problems to deal with and I don't want to have to deal with yours, especially when all the shit blows up in your face." She started to walk away. "Just stay away from me Bianca."

* * *

><p>"Looks like lunch agreed with you," Peter said upon Charlie's buoyant return and she hoped like hell that her face wasn't flaming red at his innocent remark.<p>

"It was great," replied Charlie and she rushed off toward the locker room before he said anymore or asked why her uniform wasn't in its usual pristine condition.

"Thank god for these," Charlie said, grabbing her spare pair of underwear from her locker. She quickly striped off her uniform trousers, deciding she'd change them as well. She smiled as she vividly recalled the reason for the change; Joey straddling her legs, riding her hand, her tits bouncing as she came. The way Joey's body had gripped her fingers in the throes of her climax, the heat and wetness and, "Shit," she shook her head, her face flushing with renewed arousal. "That woman is too irresistible for her own good and for mine." If she had time, she'd jump under a cold shower, but she didn't, so she was just going to have to push aside those images and concentrate on work.

That brought her back to the other issue. She had been kind of relieved that Shauna wasn't at her desk when she returned from lunch. After putting her foot in it earlier with her, things had been a little tense between them and she couldn't blame Shauna for being annoyed at her. It wasn't that long ago she was telling Shauna to keep her personal shit out of the office, so she had every right to be pissed at her for bringing up idle gossip about her at work.

"It was so much easier when I didn't have any real friends and just didn't care," muttered Charlie. There was no way in hell she ever wanted that old life back, but it really was amazing how letting Joey into her life and into her heart, had changed it so drastically. Now she had a wife and daughter she absolutely adored and she had friends who she genuinely cared about; friends whose lives she was now interfering in. It certainly wasn't something she'd ever envisioned happening when she was the Ice Queen rising up the ranks and purely career driven, but Georgie, Bianca and even Shauna, were her friends and she was concerned for them all. Only now, she wasn't sure what she could do to help them, other than stay out of their way and just hope they could sort things out for themselves, as unlikely as that seemed.

She finished changing and closed the door to her locker just as her phone went. She smiled when she saw Joey's name flashing on the screen. "Hey baby," she said in greeting. "Miss me already?"

"Always," Joey replied. "And I'm already looking forward to eating again after that wonderful lunch we shared."

Charlie groaned at Joey's suggestive double meaning and she leant against the locker as the delicious erotic memories came crashing over her again and she started reliving the moments. "Please Joey, don't remind me of that," she squeaked out.

"You didn't enjoy it?" teased Joey.

"I hate you right now," muttered Charlie and her wife just laughed at her. "You are a terrible wife."

"You can spank me for being a bad girl later."

That image had Charlie groaning again. "I'm going to hang up now," threatened Charlie.

Chuckling a little more, Joey apologised. "Sorry baby, you're just so easy," she said. "In more ways than one," she cheekily added.

"Was there alcohol consumed during lunch, because you're acting drunk."

"I'm drunk on our love, my dear."

Charlie shook her head and rolled her eyes at her wife's behaviour.

"You're shaking your head and rolling your eyes at me right now, aren't you?" Joey said and Charlie shook her head again, before realising what she was doing.

"Oh shut up," she murmured affectionately. Her wife knew her only too well. "Joey, was there a reason you are calling?"

"I can't call my gorgeous wife without a reason?"

"Of course you can, but we only just left each others' side barely twenty minutes ago."

"I was suffering withdrawal after the first five."

"So was I," admitted Charlie. Her love and desire for her wife was so strong, it left her stunned at times that she could feel so much.

"But you are right, I do have a reason for calling," Joey said. "We just had a party make a last minute booking for a charter, so I'm going to be home late tonight."

"What time should I expect you?"

"It's a moonlight charter, so I might not be home before 11, so don't wait up."

Charlie was already moaning at the thought of crawling into an empty bed.

"Leah is going to be picking up Ruby from school," Joey told her. "But can you swing by her place and pick her up after your shift?"

"Of course I can," Charlie said. "Ruby and I can have some more quality time together."

"No junk food."

"Believe me, after cleaning up after her last time, junk food is going to be the last thing on the menu."

"There are still some leftovers in the fridge," suggested Joey. "But whatever you decide to do, have a fun girls' night."

"We will. I should get a move on."

"Same here. I love you."

"And I love you. Bye."

"Oh and don't forget to clean out the squad car and make sure we didn't leave anything behind," Joey got in before Charlie hung up.

Smiling wryly, Charlie put her phone away. "She just can't help herself."

* * *

><p>Georgie sat on the sand, listening to the waves crash against the beach while her thoughts played out in her head. Jack had called earlier to say he was delayed and wouldn't be home for a few more hours yet and rather than be home alone working herself into a state over telling him about the baby, she'd gone for a walk to get some fresh air. Only her attempt at a relaxing walk had come undone the moment she'd come across Shauna and Bianca deep in discussion. She had no idea what they were talking about, nor did she care, because with her feelings still so raw, just the sight of them together in the distance had had her turning and quickly heading in the opposite direction and she'd found herself here, sitting alone on the beach and wondering how her life had come to this.<p>

"Damn it," Georgie muttered as her ribs twinged again when she moved. She was supposed to be relaxing and taking it easy since being released from hospital, not stressing like she had been. The tension and stress really wasn't doing her recovery well, making her muscles tense up, especially around her injuries and unless she wanted to risk taking twice as long to get over her injuries, then she needed to find a way to ease the stress in her body and her mind.

She knew the best place to start with, would be for her to make a decision on her future.

Georgie rested her hands on her belly. It was far too early to feel movement, but there was a life growing inside of her and that meant it wasn't just her future that she had to decide on.

"I didn't plan on you, but you're a part of me and I already love you," she murmured. It was like being pregnant with Romeo all over again. "And I'm going to do the right thing by you." She got to her feet. "And I know exactly what that is."


	72. Chapter 72

Georgie walked up the path and knocked on the door. It felt like hours had passed instead of just moments while she waited for the occupant to open the door.

"Georgie!" Bianca said in surprise.

"We need to talk."

* * *

><p>During the course of the afternoon, Charlie had come down from the high feeling she'd had from her afternoon delight with Joey. Area Command had requested performance reviews of all their officers currently assigned to the Station and so she had been assisting Peter with that. There wasn't a lot she could offer, since she had only been here for a couple of months, but Peter had wanted her input and opinion of what she'd seen so far. Reviewing colleagues was one part of her job that she really didn't enjoy. It was fine when people performed well and you could be positive, but if they hadn't been, then she still needed to be honest, regardless of the impact to their career and if she liked that person or was even friends with them.<p>

Shauna had the potential to be a fine officer, but she was prone to mistakes, though that was expected in young Constables still finding their way, yet in Shauna's case, she needed to work harder on keeping her private issues from interfering with her work. She hadn't returned from lunch, rather she had called in to say she needed to take a day or two of personal leave to get over her injuries and Peter had agreed, which had been somewhat of a relief considering the tension that morning and mood Shauna had been in. It was also the right decision Shauna had made. She should have taken the time off to begin with since she only had use of one hand, but realising she wasn't right for the job right now was a good sign and she hoped Shauna did learn from this. Overall, her performance review wasn't too bad, despite the incident the other day in which she had avoided a written reprimand on and she could have a bright future in the Force if she put her head down and kept better check of her anger.

Neil Stevenson on the other hand, was a bit of a worry. He was young, handsome and knew he looked great in his uniform and his cocky nature and somewhat immature attitude had caused tension with some of the other officers. Where Shauna did show a willingness to learn and better herself, Stevenson was of the opinion he already knew everything, even though he'd only been on the job for a little over two years and his mistake in a recent burglary case had just seen the guilty party walk free, hence the call from Area Command for a review. The most frustrating thing was that Stevenson refused to accept any fault in the matter and had put it all onto his partner, Patrick Avery. Not taking responsibility was one thing, but blaming another for your mistakes was not on and the two men had nearly come to blows in the locker room only an hour earlier. So now on top of Shauna's mood, which most had picked up on, they had an all out war between two others that was likely to continue for some time.

At least they had finally finished the reviews and sent them off and Charlie really hoped these incidents didn't reflect poorly on Peter as the man in charge of these officers. He was a great leader, both fair and firm and every officer had great respect for him, though she wasn't so sure about Stevenson. The only person he seemed to respect was himself. Overall, it had been quite an afternoon and when the opportunity to go on patrol had come up, she had leapt at it. There was just something relaxing about driving around alone, but still, she wouldn't pass up a Joey cuddle right now. It was too bad that her wife was out on the sea though, probably having a ball and she might not even get to see her until tomorrow since Joey was going to be so late home. While a Joey cuddle was out of the question, there was the next best thing. She pulled the car over, pointing toward the sea, imagining she could see Joey out there in its vastness as she reached for her phone.

* * *

><p>Georgie stood nervously in front of Bianca in her lounge room. So much had changed since she had been pregnant with Romeo. Back then, she had believed the right thing to do was marry Jack and to begin with, it had felt like the right choice and they had even been happy and content for a time, but thinking of that pregnancy now and how her choices back then had impacted on her life all these years later when the realisation started to set in that she was no longer happy and never could be with Jack, she now realised that doing right by this baby, meant doing what was best for herself. She couldn't go on pretending anymore. She was a lesbian very much in love with a woman and now that she had fully accepted that, it really was pointless to even consider staying and trying to make a long dead marriage work just for the baby's sake. Under the circumstances, that just wasn't going to be in anyone's best interests. Both she and Jack deserved to be with someone who made them happy and that was no longer with each other.<p>

And that was why she was here. She needed to look toward her future and she needed to know if Bianca still wanted a part of that future, but if the worst happened and Bianca had chosen Shauna over her, then she would somehow manage on her own, however hard it may be. She took a deep breath and let it all out.

"I know you spent the night with Shauna and as much as that hurts, I don't really blame you for being with someone who can give you what you need, but I want you to know that I love you Bianca, more than anything and if there is any chance for us, I need to know now but if you want Shauna, then I'll understand and."

Her rambling was silenced by Bianca's lips on hers.

"It's you I want Georgie," whispered Bianca against her lips and she kissed her again. "It will always be you."

Georgie swooned in her arms and pressed her lips hard to hers.

* * *

><p>"We really are becoming the worst kind of saps," Joey said in greeting when she answered her phone. "We can't even go a few hours without having to talk to each other."<p>

"I blame you entirely," Charlie said. "You barged into my life and stole my heart before I even had a chance to realise it."

"Do you want it back?"

"Never," Charlie stated emphatically. "My heart couldn't be in better hands."

"God I love you so much," Joey said, completely oblivious to the fact that she was standing on a boat and surrounded by strangers.

"And I you." Charlie frowned as she heard something else over the phone. "What is that noise in the background?"

Joey looked across the boat to where a man was leaning over the rails. "A couple of our partygoers don't have their sea legs yet and so they have spent most of their time trying to outdo each other in how often and how much they can barf."

"Oh gross."

"At least most of it is going over the rails into the sea and so there will be less for me to clean up before our evening charter guests arrive."

"Suddenly I feel less inclined to ever go swimming in the sea again," muttered Charlie and Joey chuckled.

"Don't worry Charlie, the sea is an excellent cleaner."

"Not helping." She picked up her coffee thermos and took a swig.

"I bet I could find a way to entice you into the water," Joey said suggestively. "I'm already picturing a crystal clear night, where the moon is shining brightly and I'm not even talking about the moon in the sky."

Charlie nearly spat her coffee out as she took in Joey's meaning. "You expect me to go skinny dipping in puke infested waters and moon you with my bare arse?"

"It's such a lovely arse that fits so nicely in my hands and after what we did for lunch, I thought you'd be up for anything."

"I am a police officer," Charlie said. "And you shouldn't be enticing me into anymore public displays of sex."

"You could always say no."

"As if," Charlie muttered. "You little minx, you know damn well you can entice me into anything and anywhere," she complained affectionately.

"If it will ease your mind, I plan on getting you naked and in the water out here, where no one can see."

"As part of that punishment you've been threatening me with?"

"Yes," she purred and Charlie shivered in anticipation.

"Isn't it supposed to be punishment, because it's actually starting to sound like it might be rather enjoyable?"

"You're forgetting I'll be driving the boat."

"Oh right."

Joey knew she was a competent driver, Aden kept telling her so, but she still got a perverse enjoyment out of teasing Charlie ever since those early days of her first ever driving lessons where Charlie had been an unwilling passenger clinging on to the dashboard for dear life.

* * *

><p>"So you didn't actually sleep with Shauna last night?" Georgie said as she snuggled against Bianca's side on the couch, Bianca's arm casually draped across her shoulders, her soft lips occasionally kissing her cheek, her neck or wherever she could press her lips against bare skin.<p>

"We slept in the same bed, but there was no sex," Bianca told her. "I had foolishly gone out and gotten quite drunk and Shauna found me and took be back to her place to take care of me. Nothing happened though, other than me passing out." After thinking she'd slept with Shauna and on top of Georgie's pregnancy, she had honestly believed she'd lost any chance to be with the woman she loved, but it was amazing how fast things could change. She still wished she could remember more of last night, but she was grateful to Shauna for clearing up a few things. It was just a shame it had cost her their friendship.

"It would have been ok if you had had sex with her," Georgie said, though her heart had broken at just the idea of Bianca with another woman.

"No it wouldn't have been ok," Bianca told her. "Nothing may have ended up happening between Shauna and me, but that's not the point, I should never have put myself into such a position in the first place. You are the woman I want, the woman I love and I should have been strong enough to fight for you right then and there last night, instead of running like I did," she said. "It's just that hearing you say you were pregnant and that you didn't want me to know, I just panicked and believed it meant it was most likely the end for us and you'd be staying with Jack."

"There have been a few moments since I found out that I did consider staying with Jack," she admitted. "And I'm sorry, I should have told you from the start instead of trying to hide it, but ever since the doctor confirmed it, I've been struggling with the idea of being pregnant myself and I just wasn't yet ready to have to deal with you or Jack finding out."

"I guess you have had an awfully lot of stuff to deal with lately." She placed her hand on Georgie's belly, imagining a little Georgie slowly growing there and it made her smile. "And now how do you feel about the pregnancy?"

Georgie put her hands on top of Bianca's. "The idea of being a mum again is really starting to grow on me and this baby, along with you, has finally forced me into making the right decision for myself," she told her. "There's not going to be anymore putting things off, because it's time that I lived my life the way I want to."

"And can I just say, that I'm so incredibly happy that I'm going to be a part of that life."

Georgie smiled at her, "And I am so happy that you are going to be my future." She suddenly looked very serious. "It's not just me though, there's Romeo and soon there's going to be a baby, are you really sure you want to be a part of that?"

"I love kids Georgie, it's why I became a teacher," Bianca said. "I won't lie though and say it's not slightly terrifying to find myself being a step mum, but it was something I always expected to happen if I ever found the right woman and you my love," she said, pressing her lips gently to hers. "Are the right woman."

"I was so worried I'd blown it with you."

"Both of us really need to work on our communication skills," Bianca said with a wry smile. "But we have plenty of time for that now." Their lips met again, then again, Bianca's lips then moving to her neck, her hands rising to Georgie's breasts.

"Make love to me," Georgie gasped as Bianca's lips found a pulse point on her neck just as she flicked her nipples through her clothes. She felt about ready to explode she was so desperate for more.

Bianca paused and gazed deeply into her eyes. There was such love and raw need there it took every ounce of her strength to not just ravish her right there, but she held off. There were Georgie's injuries to consider and for her own sake, she should probably wait until Georgie had officially ended things with Jack before taking this step, but when Georgie kissed the front of her neck and worked her way up to her mouth, where she kissed her long and slowly, she was completely powerless to stop this.

* * *

><p>Joey chuckled at what Charlie said. They'd been on the phone for a good fifteen minutes or so now. "And you have the nerve to call me a minx," she teased Charlie.<p>

"You bring it out in me," Charlie told her. She glanced at the dashboard clock. Break time was over. "I have to say goodbye now, so have fun out there tonight and I hope they have better sea legs than this afternoon's lot."

"So do I," Joey said. "And I hope you have a good junk food free time with Ruby."

"I will. Bye."

"Bye."

"Can I come on the skinny dipping trip too?" Aden asked at her side and she jumped.

"Shit Aden." She'd forgotten about everyone else here and that some might be able to overhear, like her nosey best friend.

"Poor Joey, she can't survive even a day without little wifey," Aden teased her.

"You're a good one to talk," she fired back. "How many times do you and Geoff call each other?"

"No comment," he replied. "That must have been some lunch you and Charlie shared."

"Are you ever going to make an honest bloke of Bible Boy?" She'd come too really like Geoff. He was great with Ruby and she now thought of her daughter having four loving parents.

"Nice deflection," he said with a grin. "So, what exactly did you and Charlie get up to at lunch?"

Joey looked at her watch. "Oh, look at the time," she said. "Back to work now."

He chuckled as she made a hasty retreat. His friend had come so far from her traumatic past and that was largely due to a certain dark haired blue-eyed beauty. Charlie really was the best thing to have happened to her, much as Geoff was for him. Marriage though, that was a big step he'd never really thought about.

* * *

><p>"Everything ok Shauna?" Ailsa asked. Her daughter had arrived at the store an hour earlier and had said very little and now that the last customer had just left, they finally had some privacy to talk. "Is it about that Bianca woman?" she asked. "I saw her leaving your room this morning."<p>

"We're over for good," Shauna told her mother. "She's more interested in someone else and I don't think we're even going to be friends anymore."

"I'm sorry," Ailsa said and she felt some anger toward the other woman right now. "Couldn't she have told you that before she slept with you?"

"God mum, you're as bad as everyone else jumping to conclusions," she muttered. It really wasn't a nice feeling to have people talking about you all the time, especially about your sex life.

"Well, I know how you felt about her and she did spend the night, didn't she?"

Shauna nodded. "I'm sorry mum, I didn't mean to snap, its just that things aren't going well at the moment."

"You know you can talk to me about anything."

"Yeah, I know that." She sighed, then took a deep breath before she spoke again. "I lied to help someone out of a sticky situation and now I'm not so sure if I did the right thing or not."


	73. Chapter 73

_ "I lied to help someone out of a sticky situation and now I'm not so sure if I did the right thing or not."_

"I suppose it depends on why you lied and whether knowing the truth now would benefit anyone involved or do more harm," Ailsa said to her daughter.

Shauna shrugged and stayed silent on the matter.

Ailsa sat down by her daughter. "You're really not happy here, are you?"

"I feel like I don't belong," Shauna said. "Things aren't all that good at work and this whole thing with Bianca is the last straw."

"You just need to calm down and take a step back from all of this," Ailsa suggested. "And you'll see that things aren't all that bad."

"It's a bit hard when everywhere I go, there's someone talking about me or you."

"This town thrives on gossip, but you can't let that get to you."

"It doesn't bother you the way people are talking about you and Alf?"

"Of course it does, but reacting to it just fuels it and it doesn't really help."

"I honestly don't know how you ever survived in this town as long as you did mum."

Ailsa smiled wryly. "I was born here, so I didn't really have much choice at the time."

"You came back though."

"Being left the store was a sign that it was time to come home," she replied. "I just had no idea I still held so much residual anger until I came face-to-face with your father for the first time in a couple of decades," she explained, recalling the shouting match in the store the other week. "But once I got that out of my system, I knew then that I'd been carrying this around for far too long and it was time to deal with it. Alf and I have been talking, he's apologised for his behaviour back then, even admitted he was a coward and he's grown so much as a man. He's nothing like that pimply faced teen who got me pregnant and abandoned us and if my pregnancy had come a few years later, the outcome may have been very different."

"I don't know if I can forgive and forget as easily as you."

"You forgave me."

"You didn't wish I never existed and then turned your back on me like he did," Shauna said. "Besides, you never had a choice when I was taken from you."

"I could have tried harder to keep you." It was still the most painful day in her life when DOCS had turned up on her doorstep and taken her baby girl from her because she hadn't been strong enough to leave her abusive boyfriend. He was one in a long line of poor suitors she had found herself falling for and her life had gone from bad to worse after that day and any chance of getting her daughter back got further and further away. It was only when someone came along and believed in her that she started to get her act together, yet by that time, it had already cost her so many years away from her daughter.

"You were so young mum when you were abandoned by everyone who should have been there to support you, it was no wonder you got messed up," Shauna said. "But you never gave up on me mum, nor forgot me and you came looking for me." She had been eight when her adoptive parents had died in a car accident and after six years in foster care, being bounced from one home to the next, never fitting in and feeling so alone, the mother she had always dreamed of coming to her rescue, finally had. Her parents had been loving people who had always been up front with her being adopted and while Ailsa never quite lived up to the fantasy she had dreamt up those many lonely nights under strangers' roofs where things she'd never even told her mother about had happened, she had finally been there for her when she needed her and she'd never let her down since.

"Alf was as young and as scared as I was back then," Ailsa replied. "I just think that it couldn't hurt for you to at least talk to him," she told her daughter and then left her to ponder it over.

* * *

><p>Joey glared at her laughing friend as he rolled around on the deck of the boat in a fit of laughter. "It's not funny," she muttered.<p>

"Yes it is," Aden said between breaks in his laughter. "You look like a drowned rat."

"So do you," Joey fired back.

"I'm as dry as a," his words ended in a splutter as the bucket of water Joey just tossed at him hit him square in the face.

"Ha, ha, ha," Joey said, feeling rather pleased with herself.

"That is no way to treat your boss."

"Neither is laughing at an employee's misfortune."

"Misfortune?" he said, chuckling at her. "Joey, you fell off the boat and into the sea because you were too busy playing with your phone and daydreaming about what you wanted to do to your wife."

"Was not."

"Then why did you ignore me when I yelled, 'watch out'?"

"You didn't yell loud enough."

"Oh please, I could have yelled through a megaphone and you'd still not have heard me in your daze."

Joey pointed a finger at him, "You tell anyone about this and your life won't be worth living."

"Ooh," he feigned a quiver. "I'm so scared."

"You'd better be."

Still chuckling, he picked up a couple of towels that had been left unused by the previous charter group and tossed one to her. "Your threats might be more effective if you weren't dripping all over the place."

"I can't believe I did that," she muttered as she dried herself. At least her phone hadn't been lost, but chances were that its swim hadn't done its insides any good and it was completely stuffed. With any luck though, the sim card was undamaged, so she still had her info and photos.

"There's still time to clean up and get ready for our last charter if you want to take a shower back at the office," Aden suggested. "I think there's some dry clothes there as well."

"Thanks." That was one good thing. Their guests had just left and the next lot had yet to arrive, so there had been no witnesses other than Aden. Granted, he was never going to let her live this down, but anything was better than having an audience to witness her embarrassment.

* * *

><p>"You're not too upset that I put a stop to things before they went any further, are you?" Bianca asked. In a final burst of strength, she'd managed to put a halt to proceedings, but not before a heavy make out session that had seen them ending up lying on her bed in nothing but their underwear. Taking note once more of her girlfriend in her bra and she was amazed at the strength it must have taken, because she really, really, really wanted her right now.<p>

"Of course not," Georgie said. Her lips felt swollen from all the kissing and her body could still remember every touch and kiss Bianca had marked on her naked skin before they had stopped. "Waiting until I tell Jack is the right thing to do." She kissed Bianca softly on the lips. "And I completely understand why you want to wait."

"I love you so much Georgie and I want to make love to you more than anything." Her gaze dropped to her girlfriend's gorgeous figure. "Especially now, but I want our first time to be free and without the spectre of your husband hanging over us." And I also want to protect my heart, just in case, she added silently.

"I promise, I will end things with Jack."

"I know you will baby, but we have all the time in the world to make love and I want it to be right." They kissed again. "We really need to stop doing this," Bianca murmured against her lips.

"I know," she replied, their kisses continuing and growing more urgent.

Bianca moaned loudly when Georgie's hand brushed against her bra-clad breasts. She was starting to lose control again and before she knew what she was doing, her hand was unclasping Georgie's bra and she finally held her naked breasts in her hands.

"Oh my god," Georgie shot up, her hand over her mouth as she suddenly bolted from the bed.

"Not the kind of reaction I was expecting," Bianca said with a smile as she realised the reason behind it. Following her girlfriend into the bathroom, she knelt by her side as Georgie hunched over the loo.

"Great," Georgie moaned. "My first real make out session with you and I'm puking my guts up." Bianca helped her to her feet and Georgie wiped her mouth. "Are you really sure you want a part of this, especially the continual throwing up part?"

Bianca circled her arms around her waist. "I'm in for the long haul." She smiled. "But I'm not kissing those lips again until you've rinsed."

"Maybe this is a good thing," Georgie said after spitting the mouthwash out. "We're meant to be picking the kids up from school shortly, not nearly having sex on your bed."

"I'd forgotten about that," Bianca murmured bemusedly. "Come on, I'll help you get dressed."

"I hate being injured," Georgie muttered, while Bianca helped her with her bra. It was so much more enjoyable when she was removing it and she shivered at the memory of Bianca's hands on her breasts for the first time. There was so much to look forward to. As Bianca continued to help her dress, she realised something else; that the entire time she had been with Bianca today, even when they were kissing and all over each other, she hadn't felt one twinge or throbbing in any of her injuries. She had definitely made the right decision today.

"I kind of like it," Bianca said, grinning cheekily. "It gives me an excuse to be this close and cop a feel." She let her hand brush casually over a breast and tweaked a nipple.

"Think of the kids Bianca," Georgie gasped. "One more touch like that and we're likely to be late picking them up."

Ten minutes later, they were dressed, Georgie's arm was back in her sling and Bianca was gently caressing her cheek by the front door.

"If you need me, call and I'll be there."

"I need to do this on my own," Georgie said.

"You don't have to do it immediately though, it's ok to wait for the right time to tell Jack," she said. "Shauna won't say anything." Since she'd decided to be totally upfront about her night with Shauna, she had told her about inadvertently blabbing about their affair.

"The longer I take to tell Jack, the greater the chance that more people will find out first."

"You shouldn't feel rushed into this."

"I'm hardly rushing," Georgie said with a wry smile. "Talking to Jack about ending our marriage should have been done years ago."

* * *

><p>"Hey guys," Charlie greeted her friend and the kids when she went to pick up Ruby from Leah's place after work.<p>

"Aw, I don't have to go yet, do I Charlie?" said Ruby without even looking in Charlie's direction, her eyes glued to the TV as her fingers flew over the game controls.

"You have a better deal going?" she asked Ruby.

"Yeah, I'm annihilating VJ."

Leah chuckled. "Never stand between a kid and total annihilation."

"Don't I know it," Charlie murmured in reply. "She totally gets her competitiveness from her other mum."

"And you're not in the least bit competitive?"

"Well yeah I am, but I suck at these sort of games and my wife and daughter get great pleasure in proving that," she said. "Over and over again."

"You must like the punishment if you keep going back for more."

"Punishment can be enjoyable, especially when Joey's dishing it out," Charlie said, before she realised who she was talking to and just how that sounded. "I didn't mean it like that."

"Too late," Leah said gleefully. "So, when she is dishing this punishment out, is Joey in or out of your uniform?"

"Oh god, she told you!" Charlie said, a blush spreading right across her face.

"Joey never went into details and it had just kind of slipped out when she saw Shauna for the first time."

Charlie frowned. "What does Shauna have to do with this?"

"Something about how hot Shauna was in uniform while she always looked like a Smurf."

"Believe me, Joey is nothing like a Smurf." Her face flushed again at her words. "Can we change the topic?"

"I'm actually finding this topic very informative and enjoyable," Leah said completely straight faced.

"And what topic is that?" Peter asked as he joined them, his arm going around his wife's waist.

Leah laughed when Charlie's face flamed even more at his innocent question.

"Are you teasing the guest again dear?"

She nodded to her husband. "It's so much fun."

"Then perhaps we can continue the fun over tea," suggested Peter. "I'm firing up the barbie and there is more than enough food for you and Ruby to join us."

"Yes please!" shouted out Ruby.

"I can see this is another battle I'm going to lose," murmured Charlie good-naturedly.

"We have plenty of wine to help ease another defeat," teased Leah.

"Ok, you sold me, we'll stay." Besides, all she had to offer Ruby for tea was leftovers and as tasty as that would be, sitting down and relaxing over a barbie with friends after her day sounded good, especially since there was no Joey to rush home to.

Peter grabbed a bottle of wine from the fridge. "There is only one rule we have at the dinner table," he said as he poured then handed Charlie a glass of wine. "And that's no shop talk."

"I'll drink to that."

* * *

><p>Georgie put the dishes onto the sink. Tea was over, Jack was watching the news and Romeo was otherwise occupied outside, which meant she was alone with her husband. She put her hands to her belly. It was time to tell him. She was as nervous as hell, but the memory of Bianca's arms, hands and lips and the promise of what a future with her held for her, gave her the courage she needed. Taking a deep breath, she walked into the lounge room. "Jack, there's something I need to tell you."<p>

* * *

><p>Joey nearly yelped aloud when arms circled her from behind. "Jesus, Charlie!"<p>

"Sorry, couldn't resist." She grinned at Joey in the bathroom mirror. "Welcome home."

"I thought you were asleep." It was well after midnight by the time she'd gotten home from work and Charlie had been tucked up in bed, which was why she'd come to the ensuite to change.

"I wanted my Joey cuddle first." When she had heard Joey walk into the bedroom, she had feigned sleep and waited until Joey was in nothing but her underwear while she brushed her teeth before bed.

"Don't you have an early shift tomorrow?" She moaned softly when Charlie's lips nuzzled against her neck.

"I switched to the afternoon shift."

"Really?"

"Really." She moved her hands slowly along Joey's front, cupping her breasts from behind.

"How was your girl's night with Ruby?" Joey asked, her eyes holding Charlie's in the mirror as she leant back in her arms.

"A bit of a bust really," Charlie replied with a gentle squeezing of her hands. "Since we spent most of it at the Bakers and by the time we got home, Ruby was just about asleep on her feet, so I put her straight to bed."

"Did you have fun though?"

"It was great fun," Charlie said and she squeezed Joey's breasts harder. "Now it's time for some more grown up fun."

"Oh god Charlie."

"But first, we need to discuss something."

"Now?" She pressed her chest out further into her wife's hands.

"Yeah, now," Charlie said. She gently nipped Joey's neck, making her groan loudly. "You told Leah about our role playing."

Even in her growing arousal, Joey managed to grin sheepishly. "Not intentionally," she said. "And in my defence, I only mentioned the uniform and she kind of guessed as to the why, all on her own."

"I still think you need to pay for it though."

"Oh fuck!" Joey's hands gripped the sides of the vanity unit as her wife's hand dipped inside her knickers and stroked her.

Needing more room, Charlie tore the knickers apart, surprising Joey. In nothing but her bra now, Joey closed her eyes, surrendering to her desires as her wife's fingers on one hand stroked and dipped into her molten core while the other cupped and tweaked her nipples, sometimes hard, sometimes soft, but each time, sending a burst of quivering need through her.

Her breathing was coming in pants which sounded incredibly loud in the echoing chamber of the bathroom. She thrust her hips back against Charlie, then forward, meeting her fingers in a rhythm that was quickly becoming ragged. "Yes, yes," she moaned, trying to keep her cries low. "Fuck!" she cried out as her body rocked in her climax. Charlie held her while she bucked in her arms.

"Look how hot you are when you come," she whispered into her wife's ears.

Joey opened her eyes, seeing herself in the mirror, her body flushed and still moving for her wife, her eyes laden with desire. Her eyes met Charlie and the look in those gorgeous blues just about had her climaxing again. "Oh god."

"Enough watching." Charlie twirled her around and moved Joey so she was sitting on the edge of the unit. Dropping to her knees between Joey's legs, her mouth quickly found her clit as her fingers plunged back inside her.

"Oh fuck yes, yes, yes," Joey panted, her legs going around her wife's back to draw her closer.

When Charlie sucked the quivering bud into her mouth and flicked with her tongue, Joey's climax exploded. "Charlie!" she yelled, not caring if she woke the dead with her shout. Her wife never relented, sucking and thrusting her into one climax after another until Joey's legs dropped weakly from Charlie's shoulders and she slumped against the mirror. "Oh, wow," she murmured.

Charlie stood, resting her hands on the unit either side of her wife's hips. "We're not done yet."

"We're not?" Joey said, her chest still heaving from her climax.

Charlie shook her head and started to walk away from her, discarding her nightwear along the way. Joey watched her the entire time and with the door open, she could see her wife crawl onto their bed on her hands and knees, where she wriggled her naked arse at her.

She grinned. "What a lovely moon," she murmured and raced into the bedroom with renewed energy. Joey cupped her wife's behind. "See, fits nicely in my hands."

"And it's all for you," Charlie purred. "And so is the rest."

"It was the afternoon shift, wasn't it?" Joey asked as she moved over her wife.

"Late afternoon."

"Good."


	74. Chapter 74

"Oh god," Charlie moaned, her hands gripping the sheets while her wife's tongue and lips sucked and flicked her to her second, or maybe it was her third climax or even possibly her fourth, since waking that morning. There had been so many since last night, she'd stopped counting.

"Good morning dear," Joey said cheekily as she moved up beside her satisfied wife.

"A very good morning," she blissfully murmured. "And a very good wake up call."

"I liked it."

"I definitely liked it." She stretched out lazily on the bed. There was nothing like spending most of the night having mind-blowing sex with the hottest woman in town to make her body feel this pleasantly exhausted.

"Switching to the afternoon shift was just the best idea," Joey told her wife.

"I'm always full of the best ideas."

"Yep, you're definitely full of something."

"Hey," Charlie said, tapping the tip of her nose. "Don't be cheeky."

"So you weren't full of me last night?" Joey innocently replied.

"That's not what you meant."

Joey just grinned inanely at her.

"You're incorrigible."

"And that's why you love me."

"One of the reasons anyway." Charlie rolled onto her side. "The morning is still young, so what should we do to fill in the time?"

"Gee, I have no idea," Joey said, her hand suggestively brushing over her wife's naked hip. "What do you suggest?"

"Breakfast," she said, throwing back the covers.

"Huh?"

"You know breakfast, you eat it."

"I get that but we have all this time."

"We also have a young daughter who is," Charlie looked at the clock. "About ten seconds away from barging in here." She does a countdown. "…3, 2, 1." She stared at the door with a frown when it remained shut. "She's usually here by now."

"Oh god, we're definitely married," Joey cackled. "We time our sex life around our daughter's movements and location."

"Better that, than having her bust us in the middle of it, like what used to always happen."

"That was just because we were so horny and couldn't help ourselves in those early days of our relationship."

"So true," chuckled Charlie. "Not that anything has changed on that front now. We still can't help ourselves."

"We're just better with our timing." Joey cocked her head at a sound. "Ah, there's our rambunctious daughter now." Two seconds later, Ruby was barging through the door and asking what they were doing for the day.

* * *

><p>"How was work last night?" Charlie asked over her morning coffee.<p>

"It was fine," Joey said and hoped her face was going red. She still couldn't believe she'd fallen overboard and though it was probably only a matter of time before Aden gleefully revealed her embarrassing moment to everyone, for the time being, she wanted to preserve what dignity she had left and so saw no need to fill Charlie in on those boring little details of her work.

"Any more unsettled stomachs onboard?"

"Thankfully, no." Joey put her dishes in the sink and took her phone out of her pocket. As expected, it hadn't reacted well to her unexpected dip in the water yesterday. "I have to go into Yabbie Creek later and get a new phone."

"What happened to that one?"

"It got wet."

"I'm surprised that hasn't happened earlier," Charlie said.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, it's just that you're around water all day and it would be very easy to get your phone wet."

"Very easy indeed," agreed Joey.

Charlie looked curiously at her wife. She was doing everything possible to not meet her eyes or even look at her. "Why do I get the feeling there's something more going on here?"

Joey shrugged. "Don't know."

"Ok, now I'm even more certain that something is going on, so spill it."

"I have no idea what you're on about," Joey said, playing her most innocent expression.

"So if I ask Aden, he won't have anything to tell me?" Joey screwed up her nose and Charlie crossed her arms across her chest. "You might as well tell me now because you know I will find out eventually."

* * *

><p>Georgie was nestled snugly in Bianca's arms on the couch. It felt so much like home within her embrace and she loved the way Bianca would brush her lips over her skin while they talked. And it was exactly what she needed after her emotional night.<p>

"I tried to tell him I was leaving him, I really did, but as soon as I started, the damn phone went and Jack was called into work." She sighed frustratingly. "It's like someone is playing a cruel trick on us, wanting to drag this out now that I finally want it all to be over."

"You've told him about the baby, that's one step out of the way." The moment she'd opened the front door to find her girlfriend standing there, she'd known that not all had gone the way Georgie had wanted it to and she'd listened and comforted her as Georgie told her everything that had happened last night.

"Yeah, but I honestly never expected him to react quite like he did." She'd expected shock and maybe some anger and she'd gotten that. Except he'd been so incredibly angry, he'd accused her of deliberately getting pregnant just to trap him in the marriage again and he'd been completely unreasonable before he'd stormed out of the house. Then two hours after he'd left in anger, he'd come home with flowers, chocolates, an apology for his behaviour and a speech about how the baby was obviously a sign they were meant to be together. "And now he actually seems excited about the idea of being a father again."

"You don't have to be together for him to be a father to the baby."

"I know that, it's just that I've never seen him so enthusiastic for our marriage before, not even when we first got married." She felt her girlfriend tense behind her and she reached for her hand. "Bianca, just because Jack now wants to recommit to our marriage, it doesn't mean that I do," she assured her. "For me, our marriage is dead and can't be fixed, even if I wanted to try, which I don't."

"I'm sorry for doubting you."

"I understand why you're nervous and worried that I can't go through with this and I don't blame you. I've hardly displayed much backbone in the past in regards to my marriage, but this time is different." She turned in Bianca's arms. "This time I have all the reason in the world to end my unhappy marriage and it is right here," she said, putting her hand to Bianca's heart. "My future is with you."

Bianca leant forward and pressed her lips to Georgie's. "I love you."

"I love you to, more than I ever thought possible."

Bianca beamed and her heart swelled. She'd never felt so alive than when she was with her girlfriend like this and it made all the dramas temporarily take a back seat. Their lips met again, then again and then again as she laid back on the couch, pulling Georgie down on top of her.

* * *

><p>"It's not that funny," muttered Joey while her wife continued to roll around the floor in hysterics.<p>

"Yes…it…is," Charlie gasped out between her laughter.

"It could happen to anyone."

"Oh no," she chuckled, "Only you my dear could fall off a boat like that."

"Well, it's your fault any way."

"How do you figure that?"

"Your calls distract me from my work," she complained, even though she hadn't been on the phone to her wife at the time of her mishap. "And you shouldn't be so damn hot and desirable that I can't stop thinking about you." Joey was in full pout mode now and Charlie was struggling to stay away from her. She always found Joey's pout, when mixed with those soulful eyes, so adorable and she knew that Joey knew it turned her on, which was why she did it.

"You're right, I'm such a terrible person," Charlie said and she slowly slinked closer on her hands and knees, much like a cat. "But it's your fault too."

"Uh uh, no way am I to blame for anything," Joey said with a fierce shake of her head.

"You came into my life," Charlie said, now resting in front of her wife. "You annoyed me, frustrated me." Her hands were on Joey's hips. "You got under my skin." She tugged Joey down so they were kneeling in front of each other. "You found your way into my heart and completely turned my life upside down."

"Ditto," Joey murmured.

"And my life has never been the same."

"Ditto."

"And so that is why I blame you for making me the happiest I've ever been."

"Ditto." Joey frowned when her wife suddenly jumped to her feet and walked away. "Where are you going?"

"To get rid of that damn Ghost dvd," muttered Charlie.

"But I love that movie!"

"Exactly. Every time you watch that damn movie, you ditto me to death."

* * *

><p>Georgie groaned when Bianca's nipple brushed against hers. Their shirts and bras had long been discarded as their make out session threatened once more to get out of hand. At least they still had their pants on but she wondered for how long.<p>

Bianca moved under her and her hardened nipple rubbed against hers again.

"Oh god," moaned Georgie. It was indescribable the way her girlfriend's naked breasts felt in her hand or rubbing against her own breasts and she was aching to take it to the next level, to kiss Bianca all over, to take one of those nipples into her mouth, to use her hands and oh god, she was getting to the point of no return.

"Bianca," she gasped.

"Yeah," she murmured, her lips never far from Georgie's.

"If we don't stop right now, we never will."

"I know." Bianca ran her hands along her girlfriend's naked back and raised her knee between Georgie's legs.

"Oh my," Georgie panted and started thrusting her hips against Bianca's leg. "We have to stop."

"I don't think I can."

"Me either." Their lips crushed together.

Before they could totally lose control, there was a loud knocking on the door.

"Shit," Georgie said, sitting up quickly in a panic as the pounding on the door continued. They couldn't be found like this, not yet.


	75. Chapter 75

"Where are my clothes?" a panicked Georgie demanded as she searched frantically for the previously discarded items.

Bianca walked over to her and put her hands gently on her arms. "Georgie, calm down or you'll hurt your arm with all that flailing about."

"I keep forgetting about my injuries whenever I'm with you."

"I'm flattered I can distract you like that, but you need to relax, take a breath and we'll get dressed," Bianca said in a soothing voice. "Then we'll greet whoever is at the door like we're just two friends who were having a chat."

"That was one hell of a chat we were having," murmured Georgie as she let her girlfriend help her with her clothes.

"One of the best chats of my life," replied Bianca, brushing her lips over Georgie's. "And it's probably a good thing our visitor turned up just now, because I wouldn't have been able to stop myself."

"Neither would have I." Georgie smiled at her, "You make me lose all control."

"I promise you, that when we're finally free to be together, losing control is going to be so much fun," quipped Bianca and she demonstrated by planting a passionate kiss on Georgie's lips. "That's just a taste of what is to come," she murmured to her stunned girlfriend. She slid her own top on as she walked to the door. A quick look at her reflection on the glass of a nearby cabinet told her she was presentable enough. Putting on her best smile, she opened the door and found her two friends standing there. "Hi guys."

"Sorry for barging in on you this early on a Saturday," Charlie said. "But my wife decided that as your friends, it was our duty to cheer you up."

"Charlie, I don't think Bianca needs cheering up anymore," commented Joey as she took in Bianca's appearance and Georgie standing in the background. "And I think we've been scuppered by a far better cheer squad."

Bianca's face flamed and Joey smirked delightfully. "Obviously you guys have had a bit of a talk since we last spoke."

"A bit," Bianca said.

"Don't you just love those kinds of talk," Joey said to her wife. "The ones where words aren't needed."

"They're the best kind," agreed Charlie. "Though, I tend to prefer it without the interruptions."

"We really were just talking," Bianca told them.

"Yes, I'm sure there was some talking involved," Joey said. "Oh, by the way, your top is inside out," she casually pointed out as she and Charlie stepped inside. "And I'm pretty sure that is Georgie's top you're wearing and that she is wearing your top."

Both Georgie and Bianca looked down at themselves. "Fuck," Bianca muttered. Joey was right. Part of her attempts to ease her girlfriend's worry about discovery had been to cover up her own panic and so she hadn't really paid attention to anything else, like whose top she was putting on.

"I'm so glad you guys are sorting things out," Joey said. "I was a little worried there for a while that you wouldn't."

Bianca put her arm around Georgie's waist. "Well thankfully, Georgie was the one with the guts to make the first move, because I was honestly despairing that it was over for us and was too chicken to do something about it." She gazed lovingly at her girlfriend. "She's been amazing."

"That's a bit of an exaggeration," an embarrassed Georgie murmured.

"Even after you heard about Shauna, you turned up on my doorstep, laid your heart out in front of me, which took so much courage and then if that wasn't enough, you went home to tell your husband it was all over."

"I didn't get that far though."

"He knows about the baby, so it's a start."

"How did he take the news about your pregnancy?" asked Charlie.

"Terribly, then so so, then excited," Georgie replied and then filled them in on yesterday's events.

"Wow, that is a lot you've had to deal with recently," Charlie said when Georgie had finished speaking.

"And she's done great with it all," enthused Bianca.

"I think Georgie has her own cheer squad in Bianca," Joey whispered to her wife and Charlie grinned. It was nice seeing their friends so happy.

"I could have handled things better," Georgie said. "Especially with how I dealt with my pregnancy and wanting to keep it from you."

"And I could have handled my reactions better," replied Bianca. "But we're together now and ready to move forward."

"Well, since you don't need cheering up anymore, perhaps Charlie and I should leave you two to enjoy your time together."

"You're here now, so you might as well stay," Bianca said. "Besides, this gives us the perfect excuse for Georgie to stay and have lunch with me."

"Are you sure, because both Charlie and I know how hard it can be to find time alone when you're trying to keep things quiet."

"It's fine," Georgie said. "In fact, you can be our chaperones."

"What she means is," Bianca said with a smirk. "Is that she can't keep her hands off me when we're alone."

"Speak for yourself."

Charlie chuckled. "Oh look Joey, it's us all over again."

"Yeah and look at you now," teased Bianca. "You still can't keep your hands off each other."

"Guilty as charged," beamed Joey and she put her hands on her wife.

"Joey!" yelped Charlie.

* * *

><p>Joey handed the glass of juice to Georgie and sat down beside her. "It's so quiet without any kids around," she said. With Ruby having a dad's day out with Aden and Geoff and both Romeo and April at friends' places, it was just going to be the adults for lunch, which made a nice change. As much as she loved spending time with her daughter, she enjoyed those rare occasions where she and Charlie could let their hair down with their friends.<p>

"Yeah, I'm going to enjoy it while I can," replied Georgie. She patted her belly. "Because when this little one arrives, I don't think I'm going to have much peace and quiet."

"Are your injuries going to be a problem?" she asked. With all the dramas that had unfolded lately, they hadn't really had a chance to just talk.

"Sid told me that they shouldn't hinder my pregnancy, but I might experience some discomfort until I'm fully healed."

"Well, if you need anything, I'm happy to help."

"Thanks Joey."

"That little smile you had just then when you patted your belly, you're really getting into this pregnancy now, aren't you?"

"This was the last thing I needed and I thought it would ruin everything, but he or she is a part of me and I can't help but love this baby." She smiled. "It's funny, I went through similar feelings when I found out I was pregnant with Romeo, yet this time it's going to be so very different. Don't get me wrong, I will forever be grateful for the way Jack stood by me, because I honestly didn't think I'd have coped on my own, but we never should have gotten married. Our relationship was never that strong and if not for Romeo, we would have drifted away from each other not long after high school. This time around though, I was actually prepared to go this alone, but when Bianca offered to stand by me through it all, it felt so incredible. For the first time in my life, I find myself looking forward to spending my future with someone and actually see myself being happy."

"You deserve it Georgie."

"I just wish I'd had the guts to end my marriage before this baby came along, because now I'm scared that I'm going to be seen as the bad guy in this."

"How could you possibly be the bad guy?" Joey queried. "When both you and Jack seem to have spent the last years of your marriage knowing it was over, even though you hadn't formally ended it."

"Last night when I told him about the baby, Jack was like Jekyll and Hyde and now he seems totally into the idea of another baby and he sees this as a sign we're meant to work on our marriage and be a family," Georgie explained. "Only now, I have to tell him I'm leaving him and that my future lies with a woman who I now want to be a part of our children's lives."

"Jack may surprise you when you tell him why you're ending your marriage."

"He certainly surprised me last night," she murmured.

"No doubt a lot of emotions were flowing through him when you told him about the baby, but once things have settled down, he will probably be able to see that nothing has really changed between you two and that a baby isn't going to make those existing problems go away."

"I hope you're right," Georgie said. "I know I should feel bad though, for being married but wanting to be with someone else, yet being with Bianca just feels so right."

"That's because you're finally being true to yourself," Joey told her. "And there is nothing wrong with seeking happiness."

"Bianca certainly makes me happy," Georgie said a little dreamily. "And if you hadn't knocked when you did, I'm pretty sure Bianca and I would have made love for the first time, which is why I'm glad you did knock."

"Don't you want to make love to Bianca?"

"God yes, I want that so much," she blurted out then blushed at her obviousness.

"Then what's the problem?"

"I need to end things properly with Jack before I take the next step with Bianca and she needs that closure too," she said. "It's easy enough for me to say that I'm going to tell Jack's it is over, but until I follow through and actually end my marriage, then Bianca is always going to have this fear that I'll chicken out and I don't blame her. I don't have a good track record when it comes to dealing with the big things and she's right to want to protect herself."

"Seeing you together today, I honestly don't think you or Bianca have to worry about you chickening out," Joey said. "You've already made those first steps to fight for what you want, and Georgie, you are so much stronger than you give yourself credit for."

* * *

><p>"You think they're talking about us?" asked Bianca while they waited on their order.<p>

"Oh, absolutely," Charlie said. "They probably started the moment you and I left to pick up lunch." She nudged her friend playfully. "You realise that you've practically been walking around with your head in the clouds."

"Oh god Charlie, I feel like a giddy teenager who has discovered this for the first time and I'm unable to control myself whenever I'm around her."

"I know that feeling."

"I used to think it was funny the way you two could barely keep your hands off each other, even in public, but now I get it."

"You're in love."

"I've been in love before, yet this is different."

"That's because Georgie's the one for you," Charlie said. "Just like Joey was the one for me."

"It's such an amazing feeling, but also a little scary."

"It can be terrifying," agreed Charlie. "When I realised I was falling in love with Joey, it was damn scary for me. I had never really let myself connect with anyone because I was all about my career, yet here I was falling for the one woman who could be my ruin and if my boss hadn't been so understanding, I could very well have lost my job."

"If you had been forced to make a choice, the job or Joey."

"Joey would have won, hands down," Charlie said. "I love my job, but that's all it is, a job, one I can easily replace. Joey though, there's only one of her."

"Thank god," joked Bianca, before she sobered up. "It's not just that though," she said. "I'm scared Charlie, that this is all a dream and I'm going to wake up one day and have it all come crashing down on me."

"It's not a dream, Bianca."

"It feels like it at times," she told her. "I never thought I stood a chance with Georgie, not when she was married, but now that she's choosing me, our life is going to change, big time. This isn't just about me being in love, it's about settling down and becoming a family," she explained. "And I'm quietly terrified of that part, of playing step mum to her kids."

"You're looking out for April."

"She's going back to mum in a few months, but with Georgie, this is a lifetime commitment and as much as I love kids, I'm finding this prospect the most daunting I've ever had."

"At least you already love kids," Charlie said. "Me, on the other hand, found them to be these weird little annoying creatures that terrified me more than any dangerous criminal ever did and the whole prospect of being stuck under the same roof as a child very nearly made me turn down the assignment."

"Good thing you didn't."

"Damn good thing, because I never would have had this life I now have. The point is, I had absolutely no idea what I was doing around Ruby or a clue on how to talk to a child, whereas you have years of experience in knowing how to deal with kids."

"Being a teacher is a bit different to being a mum."

"That's true, but you and Romeo already know each other and he likes you," Charlie said. "And you're going to be with this baby from the start."

"A baby," murmured Bianca. "I'm still getting used to that idea."

"There are days when I feel like I'm still getting used to being Ruby's mum."

"You're a great mum to Ruby."

"It's a work in progress and in all honesty, Ruby was a very easy girl to love, her mother though, she took some time for me to warm up to."

"Never would have guessed with the way you two are so together." She'd heard the tale before and even Shannon had taken great delight in filling her in on some of the details of their volatile courtship in jest.

"We've had our moments, one in particularly that could have ended up with us splitting up, but we love each other and at the end of the day, we couldn't imagine life without the other in it." Charlie looked intently at her friend. "Have you spoken to Georgie about your fears?"

She nodded. "She has her own as well."

"Then you can work through them together." She put her arm casually over Bianca's shoulders. "Believe me, the fear you're feeling now will be worth it when you get to spend every day, night and morning beside the woman you love."

"I can't wait for that moment to happen," Bianca said. "There's just this problem with a husband still being in the way," she added. "And I'm a little worried how Jack is going to take the news that his wife is a lesbian and wants to leave him for his son's teacher."

"Yeah, that's one reaction that is a little hard to predict."

"Oh well, at least this might make Shauna happy."

"Huh?" Charlie murmured, confused by the sudden jump in topic.

"It's just that I'm pretty sure that Georgie and I will be taking over from Shauna and her parents as the juiciest gossip in town."

"That's probably unavoidable, I'm afraid."

"If idle gossip is the price for being with Georgie, then I'll deal with it." Bianca sighed and glanced at her friend. "I should tell you now, that Shauna knows about Georgie and I and she didn't take it too well, along with some of my recent behaviour. In fact, I'm pretty certain our friendship is over, so if she's a little touchy, you'll know why."

It certainly did explain a few things, thought Charlie.

"I wish Shauna hadn't been caught up in all of this, because I did enjoy our friendship," Bianca said.

"You were upfront with her from the start where you stood though, weren't you?"

"Yeah, but I never mentioned that the reason why I wasn't interested in more than friendship with her, was because I was in love with someone else," she replied. "And I can understand where Shauna is coming from. Your heart has its own mind and if it chooses to overrule your head and ignore the warnings, then there's not much you can do to avoid falling in love, even when the object of your affections doesn't return them. I know that from experience. I told myself over and over not to fall for Georgie because she was married, and therefore unobtainable, but my heart didn't listen and fall I did, heavily."

"You got lucky."

"That I did." She smiled broadly. "My unobtainable love turned out to be very much obtainable."

* * *

><p>"Ah, that was lovely," murmured Joey as she pushed aside her now empty plate.<p>

"Yes, we must really thank Leah for that lovely meal," Charlie said. "And I wish I didn't have to eat and run, but I'm on duty in an hour, so I really should be going."

"And I need to get to the shops before they close," Joey said.

"That's right, you need to replace your mobile."

"From the mirth in your voice Charlie, I'm guessing that there is a tale behind the need for a new mobile?" Bianca said.

"You could say that," Charlie gleefully replied.

"No you couldn't," Joey said to her wife.

"You see," she began, completely ignoring her wife's silent pleas. "Joey needs a new phone because she fell overboard with her old one last night."

"Oh my god, Joey," exclaimed Georgie "You're so lucky you weren't hurt."

"Only her ego got hurt."

Joey winced as her wife filled their friends in on the exact details of her humiliation.

"I'm sorry Joey," Georgie said, her hand over her mouth to cover her smile. "We shouldn't laugh at something like that."

"Oh go right ahead and laugh," muttered Joey.

"Thank you," Georgie said and joined in with the others' merriment.

"Yeah, yeah, laugh away." Joey glared at her wife. "Don't you need to be somewhere else?"

"Yes I do," she replied through her laughter.

"I'm never going to live this down," murmured Joey.

"Actually, I should be going too," Georgie said. "Romeo will be back from his friend's shortly."

"Do you need a lift?" offered Charlie.

"Thanks, but I think I'll walk." She turned to her girlfriend. "I wish I didn't have to go," she said softly.

"Soon, you won't need to," Bianca said and drew her in for a kiss.

Charlie rolled her eyes. Her friends were well past the point of no return and their affection and love for each other was adorable. She just hoped that they were able to maintain the _just friends_ façade in front of everyone else, at least until Georgie told Jack it was over between them.

As the kiss went on and on, Charlie whispered loudly for all to hear. "Joey, I think they've forgotten that they're not alone."

"They really are us," joked Joey as the kissing couple remained oblivious to everything except each other.


	76. Chapter 76

Charlie yawned as she sipped from her mug of hot chocolate. "Thank god it was only a half shift tonight," she said through another yawn. She felt like she had spent most of her shift tiptoeing around Jack and Shauna and it was tiring work. She was happy for Georgie and Bianca, but the knowledge she had to keep to herself made her feel awkward around Jack. For all his faults, he was a decent guy and if tonight's bragging had been anything to go by, he was definitely getting into the idea of becoming a father again and his excitement just made her feel worse, because she knew it was all going to come crashing down as soon as Georgie told him their marriage was over. She was still hopeful that finding out his wife was gay wasn't going to be too big of a slap in his face, but she feared he might be in for some ribbing from some of the others. Cheating was one thing, cheating with someone of the same sex was entirely another thing.

Then there was Shauna. She was clearly distracted and unhappy throughout her shift. Charlie was sorry she'd been caught up in all of this, especially since she was at that stage in her career where she really needed to be showing everyone what she was really made of. With any luck, she'd put Bianca behind her and focus on her career.

She yawned again. "I'm not sure I would have lasted a full shift."

"Perhaps we should have spent more time sleeping last night and this morning," suggested Joey.

"And miss out on all that sexiness and loving," replied Charlie with a shake of her head.

"I'm just concerned."

"About what?"

"Obviously age is catching up with you and you're no longer up for a night of the hot and heavy."

"What!" Charlie said in outrage. She winced at the high pitchness that made it come out more as a squeal. "Are you accusing me of being too old to be able to make love to my wife all night?"

"Yep," Joey said. "Me, on the other hand, with my youthful energy, am more than capable of being the energiser bunny in this marriage."

Charlie set her mug down on the kitchen counter and stalked toward her wife. "Well my little energiser bunny," she said threateningly. "When I'm done with you, you're going to need recharging."

"Thought you were too tired to even make a simple hot chocolate," taunted Joey. "You had to let me do it for you."

"Oooooh, you are just asking for it now." She continued to stalk her wife.

"Why start anything now when you'll probably just fall asleep half way through."

"You're really asking for it." By now, she had forced Joey back against the table. She set her hands on the edge of the table either side of her wife's hips. "Since Ruby is spending the night with Aden and Geoff and I have all of tomorrow off, then I have plenty of time to show my barely four years younger wife that not only can I keep up, but I can outlast her."

"Talk is cheap."

"But this isn't." She crushed her mouth to Joey's and with her hands now on her wife's hips, she manoeuvred her until she was sitting on the table. Her kiss left both women slightly short of breath, but she never relented, her hands roaming her wife's body as she worked over her lips.

"Whoa," Joey said when she finally had a chance to draw in some air.

"That's just the start of things to come," whispered Charlie and pushed her wife until she was lying flat on the table. She hiked up Joey's nightgown until it was just above her breasts. Starting at Joey's belly, she laid feather light kisses as she worked her way up. Taking a left turn, her lips latched onto one of the nipples which was already hard from a combination of the coolish night air and arousal.

"Ohhhh," moaned Joey as she felt her wife's warm mouth engulf her nipple and flick it with her tongue. The odd touch from her teeth merely added to her pleasure.

Sucking the nipple hard, Charlie moved her head back, drawing the nipple out with her and as she felt Joey arch her back and her chest follow her, she let go with a soft sucking sound. She quickly repeated the same action with her wife's other nipple. "Are you a bit short of breath there, my dear," she teased Joey as her wife panted beneath her. "Because I can stop if you need a breather."

"Don't you dare stop," Joey warned her.

"In that case, I'll just stick with these delectable morsels for a little longer." She spent over fifteen minutes alternating between sucking and flicking each breast and her wife responded to each touch with a moan and arch of her back. She never tired of the way Joey's body responded to her touch and she loved the little sounds of desire that escaped from her lips. They let her know just how much her wife was enjoying this.

Replacing her lips with her hands, she squeezed Joey's breasts as she kissed a path downward. She could just about smell Joey's arousal through her knickers.

Her wife was really panting now and she used her thumbs to flick the hardened peaks of her breasts as she squeezed them.

With her teeth, she tugged on the band of Joey's knickers. Her wife raised her hips to make the removal of the annoying barrier, easier and quicker. Kneeling, she moved Joey closer to her and placed her legs over her shoulders.

"Oh god Charlie," moaned Joey as her wife's tongue flicked over her clit.

Ignoring the hard floor beneath her knees, Charlie continued to torture her wife with light flicks of her tongue as her hands returned to the soft mounds of her breasts.

Working in tandem with her hands, mouth and tongue, she squeezed, flicked and sucked.

"Fuck," Joey cried out in pleasure and her body bucked against her wife's hands and mouth as she came hard.

Riding out the waves of Joey's orgasm, Charlie kept at her. Spurred on by the sounds of desire and the reactions of her wife's body to her tender ministrations, Charlie plunged her tongue into the silky warmth and thrust in time to the squeezing of her hands. She quickly had Joey panting harder and groaning louder and louder.

"Yes, Charlie, yes, yes," she said in unison to her wife's thrusting tongue. "Yes!" she screamed as another orgasm crashed through her and still Charlie didn't stop.

Charlie released once breast and brought her hand down. Moving her lips, she captured Joey's clit as she thrust her fingers inside her.

"Oh god," gasped Joey. Her hips were erratic as she thrust against her wife, but she didn't care, she just wanted more. "Harder," she begged and Charlie granted her request.

Closing her lips harder around Joey's clit, she thrust her fingers harder and deeper as her other hand squeezed.

"Fuck yeah," Joey screamed as her third orgasm came crashing down on her.

Charlie kept at her and Joey lost count of how often she came or how long she'd been lying on the kitchen table being pleasured by her wife. "Oh, yes!" screamed Joey once more. Her voice was becoming hoarse with all the shouting and her legs were growing weak around Charlie's head.

Feeling her wife's body starting to fatigue, Charlie finally relented. With a last swipe of her tongue, she let Joey's legs slide from her shoulders and she smirked up at her wife. "How is my little energiser bunny now?"

"Still raring to go," she bragged.

Charlie lifted a leg in her hand and then let go; it drop bonelessly back down. "Yep, sure looks like it."

"Just give me a minute and I'll be raring to go."

"A minute?" queried Charlie. "As in you need a minute to recharge?" she added smugly.

"That's a scandalous accusation."

"One easily defended if you can get up off that table right now."

Joey raised her head. "There, see."

"All of you."

"No, I'm too happy to lie here and bask in the afterglow of multiple orgasms."

"Any excuse to avoid admitting that this old lady wore you out." Charlie lightly ran a finger through the glistening warmth between Joey's legs and her wife gasped in response. "Just admit it."

"That's not fair," panted Joey as her wife teased her unmercilessly.

"Admit that age is not a factor." She added her warm breath to her torture.

"Ok, ok, I admit it," Joey said.

"That's better," she said, patting her wife's thigh.

"I'm never going to hear the end of this," muttered Joey.

"How about we take this discussion into the bedroom?" suggested Charlie.

"Fine."

Grinning in victory, Charlie went to stand up. She was left frowning a few moments later. "Um, Joey."

"Yeah?"

"This floor is rather hard and has been digging into my knees."

"Yeah, so?"

"So, my legs have gone to sleep and I can't get up," she embarrassingly admitted.

Laughing, Joey managed to find the energy to sit up and look down at her wife. "What was that you were just saying about age not being a factor?"

"I'd like to see you spend all this time kneeling on a hard kitchen floor and then see if you could stand up afterward."

"Excuses, excuses," chirped Joey. "But since you did give me a rather nice time, I'm going to be magnanimous and declare this a draw."

"Yes, how very magnanimous of you," muttered Charlie as she was forced to accept her wife's help to get to her feet.

* * *

><p>"You're up late," Jack said to his wife when he let himself into the house after his shift.<p>

"Because what I have to say is important."

"Sounds rather ominous," he said, though he didn't sound all that concerned. He walked over to her and bent to kiss her, but she turned her head away from him. "Georgie, what's wrong?"

"We need to talk," she said. Ever since she'd left Bianca's side, she'd been anxious to return to her and she'd spent all that time since, dwelling over the words she needed to say to Jack.

"I know with the baby coming along, we're going to have to discuss things," he said. "Like maybe searching for a new house since we're going to need a nursery."

"Jack, please, this is hard enough."

He stepped back from her with a frown. "You don't want this baby, do you?"

"Of course I want this baby," she replied. "Though I'll admit, that I was thrown through a loop when I first found out I was pregnant."

"You weren't the only one."

"But now that I've had time to digest this, I'm looking forward to being a mum again."

"So am I and this time is going to be different," he said.

"More different that you realise," she murmured.

"Georgie, I know we've had our problems," said Jack. "And that we've drifted apart somewhat, but we're a family and if we work together, we can be strong once more."

"We were never strong, Jack," she responded. "And we only got married because of Romeo."

"That's why it's going to be different this time," he said. "We're already married and we're older now, more experienced, which will let us work through our problems. Georgie, I know I haven't been the best husband and I've made mistakes, but I do love you and I'm willing to do whatever is necessary to make our marriage work." He approached her again. "Don't you see Georgie, that one night we finally spent together properly as a husband and wife, created this baby, because the time was right to remind us of what we have." Smiling, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box.

"Oh no," murmured Georgie as he opened the box and let her see the gorgeous ring inside.

He knelt down before her. "Georgie, I want us to renew our vows."


	77. Chapter 77

"Better?" asked Joey. She was sitting propped against the headboard of their bed, with her wife's legs across her lap as she gently massaged them.

"Wonderful," murmured Charlie. "Next time though, I think I am going to put a cushion down on the floor or something."

"Or we could just keep our sex life to the bedroom and this bed," suggested Joey.

"Yeah, we could do that," agreed Charlie. "But I love the spontaneity when the mood just takes us and I don't want to lose that by having to stop and wait until we get here."

"I must admit," mused Joey, "That the squad car was certainly a nice bit of spontaneity."

"On the other hand, perhaps some modicum of control to our spontaneity might be advisable in certain situations."

"Charlie, it's too late at night to be using that many big words," her wife complained good naturedly.

"Ok, I'll put it this way," Charlie said. "No more spontaneity in the car, even if the mood strikes us."

"I'll agree to no more squad car sex," Joey said to her. "But I don't see why our own car should be ruled out, should the mood arise."

"How about the fact that our car is smaller and far less comfortable than a squad car?"

Joey thought about that for a moment, then grinned cheekily at her wife. "We need a bigger car."

"We're not getting a bigger car just so we can have sex in it."

"Spoil sport," Joey replied with a pout.

"And you're incorrigible."

"I thought I was insatiable?"

"That to," replied Charlie.

"Well, if I'm insatiable and incorrigible," Joey said with a smirk, "Then what does that make you?"

"Incredibly satisfied in the sex department," Charlie quipped. "And frequently so."

Chuckling, Joey moved her wife's legs off her lap and lay down beside her. "Funny how I was always led to believe by talk that marriage was meant to be a death knell on a couple's sex life."

"Thank god married bed death is just a myth." Charlie cuddled up to her wife. "Though there is nothing wrong with just being in each other's arms like this."

"Nothing wrong at all," murmured Joey. She yawned.

"Tired?"

"No," Joey replied through another yawn.

"Are we back to you trying to prove that you can outlast me?"

"Maybe," she quietly said. Then Joey grinned at her and brushed her lips over Charlie's. "Just kidding."

"I love you my cheeky little devil."

Joey wriggled her brows at her. "I much prefer being your horny little devil."

"You're definitely horny," Charlie said with a chuckle. "But I think we both need to recharge our batteries now and get some sleep."

"Yeah," Joey murmured. She snuggled closer to her wife and closed her eyes. "I could stay like this forever."

"Same here." Charlie kissed her on the forehead. "Sleep well." She smiled when she realised her wife had already nodded off. "Ha, I win," she quietly gloated.

* * *

><p><em>He knelt down before her. "Georgie, I want us to renew our vows."<em>

Georgie stared at the ring and then gently flipped the lid shut.

"You don't like the ring?" her husband asked in confusion.

"It's gorgeous but it's not what I want," she told him. Georgie was getting frustrated with herself for her inability to come straight out and say what really needed to be said.

"Ok if you don't want the ring, that's fine and we don't have to renew our vows if that's not what you want either," he said as he stood up. "This was just my way of demonstrating my commitment to our marriage."

He had just given her the opening she needed, if she had the guts to seize it. Bianca's smiling face came into her mind. That was all the encouragement she needed. Taking a deep breath, she spoke up. "That's just it Jack, I don't want to commit or even try to save our marriage."

"What?" he stared at her in confusion.

"Our marriage has been over for a long time Jack," she said. "And it's time we accepted that and moved on from each other."

"I know we've had our problems Georgie, but we can work them out."

"It's too late for that."

"But we have a baby on the way," he argued.

"We don't have to be together to be good parents to this baby."

"Why now?" he asked. "I mean, if our marriage has been over for so long, then why are you only now wanting to end it?"

"I've met someone," she finally said.

"Who is he?" Jack demanded. He glanced at her belly and his eyes narrowed dangerously at her. "Is he the real father and that's why you're leaving me?"

"There's no chance of this person being the father," she assured him.

"How can you be so sure if you've been screwing around on me?"

"I haven't been screwing around," she angrily replied and the next words came tumbling out. "Jack, I'm gay and I've fallen in love with another woman."

A range of emotions flashed across his face and she nearly wanted to take a step back from him as his expression settled onto one. "Excuse me?" he asked with an edge to his voice.

For once in her life though, she held her ground and she faced him with a confidence she never knew she had. "I'm a lesbian Jack."

"Is this some sick joke, because it's not fucking funny?"

"No it's not a joke. Jack, I'm sorry it's taken so long for me to be able to say this, but I just can't go on pretending anymore," she said to him.

"So does this mean that you've been lying to me all this time?"

"More like I've been lying to myself," she replied. "But I've finally found the courage to accept who I really am."

"This is such bullshit," he hissed. "And if you're gay, then why the fuck were you throwing yourself at me that night, because you certainly weren't acting like a lesbian that night."

"I was drunk and I wasn't thinking clearly that night," she explained. "I was just so confused about so many things and I wasn't ready to accept any of it."

"It was all about this other woman, right?"

"Yes."

"Then who the fuck is this slut, because I want to have a word with this woman who thinks it's ok to chase after a married woman."

"Don't call her a slut," snapped Georgie. "She's the woman I love and I won't have you talking about her like that!"

Jack was momentarily startled by the anger and indignation in her voice, but then his own anger took control once more. "That's what she is though," he said sneeringly. "She's a fucking slut for going after a woman who is already taken."

"Then what does that make Martha for all the times she's fucked my husband?" Georgie angrily retaliated.

Jack reeled back as if slapped.


	78. Chapter 78

"That's right Jack," Georgie said as she held firm. "I know all about Martha and I have for a long time."

"You never said anything," he replied rather pathetically.

"Because I was so used to being this little mousy wife who just accepted what had been given to her in life and did what was expected of her as a wife and a mother," she said. "But I also think that part of the reason why I looked the other way with your infidelity, was because it was somewhat of a relief for me, that we weren't having sex and I guess in some way, I was also blaming myself for our problems."

"Damn right you're to blame for all of this," he barked, his anger and humiliation helping to fire him up. His eyes flickered dangerously. "Guess you being a dyke explains why you were always such a dud root and why I had to find me a real woman like Martha."

She knew he was just saying those words out of shock and anger and would most likely regret them when he had time to calm down, but they still hurt. "I did my best in our marriage Jack and I was a good wife in every way."

"Except the bedroom," he muttered.

"I never set out for any of this to happen," she told him. "But once I started to accept how things really were, I just couldn't go on lying to myself anymore."

"I'm going to be a laughing stock," he complained. If she had told him she was having an affair with some guy, he'd still have been pissed, yet with another woman, it was too much. "I'll be the man who couldn't keep his wife satisfied and so she went looking for a woman."

"This isn't just about you Jack."

"No, it's about you and this other woman," he sneered. "A woman you still haven't told me the name of."

Georgie hesitated for a moment, then she spoke the name of the woman who had come to mean so much to her. "The woman I have fallen in love with is." She paused and took a calming breath as she started again. "I'm in love with Bianca Scott."

Jack stared at her while the name sunk in. "Well that just great," he spat out. "So now you're intent on humiliating our son as well by fucking his teacher."

"Jack, please."

He threw his arms up in disgust. "I stood by you when you were in the hospital, I ended things with Martha because I realised that I wanted to be with you, even more now that you're having my baby." He had emphasised the last two words for importance. "And now you're telling me that you just want to throw it all away so you can go and play at being a lesbian for a while."

"And if not for the accident, you'd still be sneaking around and fucking Martha, wouldn't you?"

He didn't answer that. She just shook her head at his silence, before continuing on. "I'm not just playing at being a lesbian, Jack," she told him. "This is who I really am."

"Yeah, a woman who I'm not sure I even know anymore," he said. "Because you're certainly not the woman I married."

"No, I'm not that woman anymore," she said in agreement. "And I for one am glad for that, because that woman had been plagued by self-doubt for so long and would jump at her own shadow if given the chance. My whole life has been spent trying to please everyone else without giving much thought to my own needs or happiness," she explained to him. "Well not anymore. For the first time in my life, I feel a confidence in myself to take a risk and travel my own path toward happiness and that is exactly what I'm doing. Jack, I am finally free to be who I am and you know what?" she said. "It feels bloody amazing."

"Yeah, free to be a fucking lesbian who has been banging some broad behind her husband's back," he snarled.

"I told you that I haven't been sleeping around," she replied, struggling to keep hold of her temper. "I have never made love to Bianca, though I desperately want to," she added. "But I wanted to wait until after I'd ended my marriage before taking the next step." She looked him right in the eye as she said, "I haven't slept with anyone Jack, except with you."

"Yeah, right," he said dismissively. "You actually expect me to believe that this new found freedom you have found, hasn't included sex with your little strumpet?"

"When exactly would this have happened, since I've been in hospital in case you've forgotten," she asked him.

"There was always before the accident and since you got out," he said. "I don't believe for one second that you haven't sampled the merchandise before buying into it."

"Believe what you want," she snapped, refusing to argue on that point anymore.

He folded his arms across his chest, a look of determination now on his face. "Well, I guess now you have a decision to make."

"I've already made the decision," she replied. "I'm ending our marriage and I'm not going to change my mind."

"Then if you really are so determined to walk out on your marriage to be with some woman, then you won't be doing it under this roof and Romeo won't be going anywhere with you." She stared at him in shock. "Because if you think I'm going to let that woman anywhere near Romeo and my baby when he or she is born, then you have another thing coming," he told her. "So if you really want to be a lesbian and be with this woman, then you can get the fuck out of this house, because that is the way it is going to be."

"I'm not moving out of this house Jack," she said. "This is Romeo's home and you will not keep me away from him under any circumstances."

Jack was surprised by the forcefulness behind her words and the anger in her eyes. It was so out of character for her and yet another reminder that she wasn't the woman he thought she was. "Georgie, it's either her or Romeo and this baby," he said, trying to regain control.

"I won't let you use Romeo and this baby against me," she said to him. "Jack, I understand that this has all come as a shock to you, but it's time you realised that I'm no longer the dutiful wife who will just accept things without argument and it's you who has another thing coming if you think you can bully or threaten me in any way," she warned him. "I'm through with being that weakling, Jack. I love Bianca will all of my heart and I intend to spend the rest of my life with her and both of our children will be a part of that life. There is nothing you can do to stop this from happening." She glared contemptuously at him. "You don't have the moral high ground here Jack. We've both made mistakes in this marriage and we've both strayed, so cut the shit." She walked toward him until she was toe to toe with him. "And if you try and take my kids to keep them from me, I will fight you every step of the way and make your life a living hell."

"Mum, dad, what's going on?" Romeo asked his parents as he stood in the doorway watching them.

* * *

><p>Joey smiled as she felt the soft lips on her own. "Morning," she murmured and opened her eyes to gaze into those gorgeous blues of her wife's.<p>

"Morning." Charlie smiled down at her. "Somebody fell asleep on me last night."

"I hope you're not trying to claim any sort of victory."

"Nope," she chirped. "Just pointing out what happened, is all."

"You just couldn't help yourself," Joey accused her and prodded her in the ribs for effect.

"Hey, that tickles." Charlie ducked away from her when she made to reach for her again. "And for the record, you did fall asleep before me."

Joey's eyes narrowed at her. "Come on Charlie, just say it," Joey urged her. "I know you want to."

A grin graced Charlie's lips. "I outlasted you," she crowed. "So little old me, the elder stateswoman, the senior member of this partnership, beat the younger woman fair and square. I won, I won, I won." Unfortunately for Charlie, she wasn't quick enough to dodge her wife when she suddenly pounced on her. "Joey!" she squealed through her laughter as Joey tickled her relentlessly. "Stop it!"

"I thought you loved my fingers."

"Not when they're doing this to me," she cried out and tried in vain to get away from her tormentor.

"You're not getting away from me, Snr Const. Giggles," Joey told her.

"I give up, I give up," Charlie finally said.

Smirking in satisfaction, Joey leant over her wife, her hands on either side of her.

"I hate you right now," Charlie mumbled up at her while she was in full pout mode. She was also breathing hard from all her laughter and struggles.

"Then you don't want me to kiss you better?"

Charlie shook her head. She closed her eyes when Joey ducked down and gently nuzzled her lips against her neck.

"Are you sure you don't want me to kiss you better?" Joey said, her lips never leaving her wife's neck.

Where Joey's fingers had elicited laughter, the vibrations of her lips on her neck as she spoke elicited something entirely different in Charlie.

"There is nothing you could do that could possibly make me feel better," Charlie told her, all the while trying to ignore her building desire.

"Ah, a challenge," Joey replied with a gleam in her eye.

This time when her wife's hands found their way back onto her body, Charlie was left groaning in response.

"This doesn't make you feel better?" queried Joey, knowing full well her wife was enjoying every touch.

"Nup," Charlie said with a fierce shake of her head.

"That's funny, because these little hardened and quivering peaks here," Joey said as she tweaked both of Charlie's nipples. "Seem to be saying something entirely different."

"You're clearly mistaken," she told her. "And surely with all your experience, you can tell that my nipples are obviously lying to you and they're not reacting out of any real desire."

Joey stared at them and thought that over for a moment. She nodded slightly as she reached the same conclusion. "Bad nipples," she murmured. "You need to be punished for lying to me." She covered one with her mouth and sucked hard, while her hand played with the other, alternating between squeezing the hardened bud between her fingers and flicking her thumb over it. Then she switched over nipples. She repeated this twice more with each nipple.

"Oh fuck," muttered Charlie. She was trying so hard not to give in to her wife, but damn, staying strong against her wife's irresistible charm was nigh on impossible.

Joey sat back to observe her wife a little better. She brushed her fingertips over each nipple, over and over. "Mmm, they still seem to be screaming at me that they're loving all the attention I'm giving you, but that has to be a lie, right, because you aren't enjoying this, are you and it's not making you feel better at all, is it?" Joey mused. Charlie bit down on a moan of pleasure. Her nipples were so hard it was almost painful as Joey continued to casually stroke her. "So what am I going to do about this little problem?"

"Let them off with a warning," suggested Charlie.

"What sort of warning?"

"Behave or it's solitary confinement for them."

"Hear that girls," Joey said and Charlie fought not to laugh at the absurdity of her wife speaking directly to her nipples. "Stop lying or it's confinement in the most hideous bra I can find." Joey sighed. "They're either not listening," she murmured and then she narrowed her eyes at her wife. "Or it's you who is lying and so these little darlings enjoyment is a very real reflection of your own, especially when I do this."

Charlie moaned when her nipple disappeared once more into Joey's mouth. "Jesus, Joey," she cried out when her wife's teeth grazed gently across her breast as she moved onto the other. She thrust her chest out and even in her growing desire, she could feel Joey smiling around her nipple at her reaction. She shivered in anticipation when Joey's hand teased her nipple, then made a few playful circles across her belly before delving lower. Her legs opened wider of their own accord.

Joey's finger wasted no time in finding her clit. "Is this another lie?" Joey asked her and pressed her thumb against the quivering bud. "Or another clear sign this is making you feel better after all."

"Damn you Joey," she muttered and completely gave herself over to her wife.

"I love how easy you are," teased Joey at her capitulation.

"I'll remind you that you said that the next time I have you begging for more." Her voice rose high on the last word as her wife plunged two fingers inside her and Joey's mouth found its way back to her nipples. Charlie raised her hips to meet each thrust inside her and she knew she wouldn't last long. Her climax was already fast approaching. She grabbed the sides of Joey's head and pulled her up, crushing their mouths together while Joey continued to thrust inside her. Their breasts mashed together now as their bodies ground against each other.

"Fuck," she cried out in ecstasy but it was smothered against Joey's lips. Her hips kept rising as Joey kept plunging deep inside her. "Oh god." Another climax and this time, Joey freed her lips, allowing her to scream her pleasure out loudly. And still, their bodies moved against one another.

Joey's mouth found hers once more and they kissed passionately.

"I need you Charlie," gasped Joey and her wife didn't need to explain what it was she needed. Without breaking stride, Charlie's hand found its way between Joey's legs. She moaned at the silky heat she found there. "Oh yeah," Joey groaned as her wife's fingers filled her.

They kissed again, their tongues duelling as their bodies and hands thrust against one another. Both women were racing toward ecstasy and they started to lose their rhythm the closer they came. "Yes, yes, yes," Joey cried out just as her body spasmed in the throes of a powerful orgasm. Caught in the moment, Charlie followed her over the edge and her body bucked against her as she climaxed yet again.

"Damn, that was something," Joey murmured as she collapsed to Charlie's side.

"Well, I must say, that we've certainly made the most of our Ruby-less night and morning," Charlie said, feeling very satisfied once more.

"I wonder if we could offload our daughter onto Aden and Geoff on a more regular basis," joked Joey.

"It would certainly free up our sex life," Charlie replied, as she played along. "Of course, if we did that, then it might seriously crimp Aden and Geoff's sex life."

"That would be their problem."

"It does sound wonderful in theory, but we both know we'd miss that curly haired scamp too much, even her rotten timing."

"Yeah, we would." Joey leant over and kissed her wife softly on the lips. "And it's not like we go without even when she's home."

"We also seem to find a way to be together."

"Thank god."

Charlie moved over her. "We still have a good two hours before we need to pick up Ruby, so why don't we make good use of that time."

"I love how we're on the same wavelength," Joey said and she pulled her wife down on top of her as they started all over again.


	79. Chapter 79

Charlie patted her belly with a sigh of contentment. "That was a great brekkie Joey and exactly what I needed."

"You needed a boost to your energy after that workout this morning."

"We both did." Chuckling, Charlie grabbed her wife around the waist as she walked past and pulled her onto her lap.

"Charlie, we don't have time to start up again."

"I just wanted a cuddle."

Moving so she could straddle her wife's legs, Joey draped her arms over her shoulders and gazed into her eye. "Since when do we just cuddle?"

"We cuddle all the time," Charlie pointed out.

"And what does cuddling usually lead to?"

Joey tried not to laugh at the exaggeratedly thoughtful expression now gracing her wife's lovely features as Charlie considered the question.

"Well, cuddling can sometimes lead to kissing I guess," Charlie said and demonstrated that by pressing her lips to Joey's neck. "Usually starting here, then moving upward." Her lips made a soft path of kisses along Joey's skin. "Until I get to here," she murmured against her wife's lips.

"Then?" Joey asked as they traded soft kisses.

"My hands might get to work on your buttons," she replied. "Like this." Joey shivered in the coolish morning air as her shirt buttons were parted. "Then my hands would probably do this." She cupped Joey's breasts. Smirking at the quick hardening of Joey's nipples to her touch, she leant forward and gently tugged on the bra around each peak with her teeth, teasing her. "Of course, this can then lead to some nifty finger work that unwraps my favourite presents." So deft was Charlie touch, that Joey didn't even feel her fingers on the clip of her bra, until the cool air hit her now bared breasts.

"You've just proven my point that cuddling leads to more with us," Joey said as a soft moan of pleasure escaped her lips.

"But I happen to consider this as just cuddling though," Charlie said innocently as her hands engulfed both breasts and playfully squeezed them. "See, I'm cuddling."

"Oh, I think I like this cuddling even more right now."

"What was that?" Charlie said. "You wanted more?"

"No, I said." Her words trailed off as her nipple disappeared in to the warm and inviting mouth of her wife.

Releasing the nipple, Charlie gazed into her wife's eyes. "I think you might be right that cuddling does lead to more with us."

"I told you so," Joey murmured as she kissed her wife's lips.

"Perhaps we should just stop at cuddling today though, since we don't have time for more."

"You are not leaving me like this," Joey warned her wife. "You have to finish what you started."

"But we don't have time," Charlie reminded her once more.

"Oh fuck the time."

"I'd rather just fuck you," Charlie said and crushed their lips together while her hands worked on the button of Joey's shorts.

"Oh yeah," Joey sighed when her wife's hand found its way past the band of her knickers and straight to her molten core. It was unbelievable the way her wife's touch always had her wanting more. It didn't seem to matter how many times they'd already made love in the past twelve hours, her body always responded. She raised herself slightly to give Charlie better access. It was all Charlie needed as two fingers plunged deep inside her. "Oh fuck yes," she groaned and began to rise up and down to meet every thrust of her wife's hand. It wasn't going to take long to reach yet another orgasm and the moment Charlie's thumb found her clit and pressed against it, sent Joey over and she cried out, her body bucking as she rode her wife.

* * *

><p>Georgie sighed as she realised she'd just read the same sentence for about the third time. Her nerves were starting to get the better of her. Because of the late hour last night, she hadn't explained to Romeo why his parents were fighting. At one point, she had half expected Jack to just blurt out she was a lesbian and abandoning her family, yet even in his anger, he had held his tongue rather than upset their son. Romeo knew it was serious though, but he'd reluctantly let her put him back to bed, with a promise from her to explain everything to him first thing in the morning. She glanced at the clock on the wall. He would be up shortly and there would be no more hiding or putting this off, which was why she was having so much trouble concentrating on anything else.<p>

She briefly wondered where Jack was. He'd said something about sleeping in the spare room, yet there was no sign of him this morning and the bed didn't look slept in at all.

"Typical, leave it all to me to tell our son what is going on," she muttered. On the other hand, being free to tell her son from her own perspective without having to worry about Jack interjecting his own venom into the issues, could be a good thing. Still, she wasn't looking forward to this at all. It had been hard enough admitting she was gay to herself, even harder to tell Jack, so how did one go about telling a young boy that his mum was a lesbian and was breaking up his family and leaving his father so she could be with his school teacher?

At the sound of her son's approaching footsteps, Georgie nervously set aside her work. Her son trotted into the kitchen.

"Where's dad?"

"He's gone out."

"Mum, what's going on? Why were you and dad fighting last night?"

She patted the seat next to her. "Sit down Romeo and I'll explain."

"Is everything ok?"

"Yes, there's just going to be some changes around here."

"Changes?" he asked worriedly.

Georgie took a deep breath. There wasn't really an easy way to say this, so she went straight for it. "Your father and I are separating." Her heart broke at his sad little face.

"Why," he complained in a small and emotionally tinged voice. His next words though, shocked her. "It's because of her, isn't it?" he said bitterly and Georgie stared at him in shock. She had been so careful about showing her real feelings for Bianca, so how did her son know about her? "I hate her."

"Please don't say that," she said in a strangled voice.

"But it's all her fault."

"No it's not."

"But it is," he said more emphatically. "She didn't even care that it was your birthday."

Georgie frowned at his words. She hadn't even known Bianca at the time of her last birthday. "Um Romeo, who are you talking about?"

"Martha."

* * *

><p>"You can explain to them why we're late," Charlie informed her wife when they were finally walking toward Aden and Geoff's front door.<p>

"Yeah sure," Joey said. "It was all your fault."

"My fault!"

"You need to work on your Miss Innocent expression," Joey said dryly. "You overdo it a little too much with your faux outrage and tone, so it sounds more like you're deflecting and not really all that innocent at all."

"So it's all my fault we're running late to pick up our daughter?"

"Much better," Joey said. "And if I didn't already know that it was all your fault, then I might actually believe you when you say it like that."

"It wasn't entirely my fault."

"I didn't see anyone else pulling me onto your lap so you could have your way with me."

"I'll cop to that, but it was you who then turned the tables on me."

"No, I put you onto the table and then I had my way with you."

"Exactly, so it wasn't entirely my fault that we're late."

Joey shrugged in reply. "Then I blame our raging teenage hormones."

"We're not teenagers anymore Joey."

"We are when Ruby's not home."

"Can't really argue with that," conceded Charlie, because it was the truth. Take Ruby out of the equation and they spent most of their time acting like randy teenagers who can't get enough of each other. Her eyes drifted low. Her wife had changed her clothes after their little impromptu session in the kitchen and she liked these shorts even more than the last ones. They were a little tighter, so they showed off every curve rather nicely.

"Stop staring at my arse," Joey told her.

"You weren't even looking, so how do you know where I was staring."

Peering over her shoulder, she tilted her sunnies down so she could gaze over them at her wife. "Because I can always feel your eyes on me and since I know how much you love my arse, it's easy to assume that your eyes would be on my arse."

"Oh god, you really have an unfortunate effect on me," she mumbled in reply.

"Yes, multiple orgasms is an unfortunate effect," teased Joey. "But now we need to put our mum personas on and act our age in front of our daughter."

"Oh how boring."

Chuckling, Joey slid her arm around her wife's as they walked. "Boring is the last word I'd ever use to describe us."

* * *

><p>Once more, Georgie was staring at her son in shock.<p>

"She pretended she was there for your birthday, but it was dad she was really there for." He sniffled. "I saw them kissing."

"Oh Romeo." She gathered him close to her with her good arm. She couldn't recall seeing Martha there that night, but her son obviously had. "Why didn't you ever say anything?"

"I didn't want you to be hurt."

Georgie felt guilty. She and Jack had stayed together because of Romeo, yet in doing so, they might have made things worse. She was also furious with her soon to be ex husband, for being so blatant about his affair that he let their son witness it. "Romeo, I already knew all about your father and Martha and yes, it did hurt, but not as much as it should have." His face screwed up into a frown. Under other circumstances, it would be cute, but right now, it was making it even harder to get the words out.

"Mum, are you ok?" he asked as her silence grew longer.

"Romeo, I have something very important to tell you and I'm just trying to find the right words." She took another deep breath. "I want you to know that I will always care for your father, don't ever doubt that, but I don't love him, not in the way that I need to be in a marriage." She hesitated once more, then the words just came tumbling out. "You see, I've come to realise that I'm gay and I've fallen in love with a woman. And Romeo, the woman I'm in love with, is Miss Scott." That hadn't exactly been the way she wanted to tell him and now that the words were out, she wished she could take them back. Even more so at her son's expression.

"Mum, that is just so weird and gross."

Georgie's heart sank at his reaction.

* * *

><p>"Aden," Geoff called back into the house. "Those annoying door to door salesmen are back."<p>

"What are they selling now?"

"Their usual bullshit."

"Then get rid of them," Aden yelled back.

"Ha, ha," Joey said. "And in this PC world, that would be saleswomen."

"Person," Charlie said. "PC would be to call us salespersons."

"Whatever," muttered Joey as she and her wife moved past Geoff and into the house.

"I thought I told you to get rid of them," Aden joked as he joined them in the lounge room.

"Sorry we're late," Joey said. "We kind of lost track of time."

"Bet I can guess doing what," sniggered Aden.

"Honestly, we were just cuddling," Joey said.

"Cuddling, cuddling?" Geoff asked. "Or cuddling, cuddling?" He said again, though this time was accompanied by a suggestive wriggle of his brow.

"It's the type of cuddling cuddling a wife and wife do together."

"Why are we repeating ourselves, repeating ourselves?" Charlie said.

"He started it," Joey said with a pointed finger at Geoff.

"I thought we were meant to be putting on our parental personas in front of our daughter."

"We're not in front of her yet," Joey replied. Then she frowned. "Come to think of it, it's awfully quiet in here, so where is the little scamp hiding?"

"Still in bed," Aden said rather proudly.

Both Joey and Charlie stared at him in surprised shock. "How in the hell did you get her to sleep in this long?" Joey demanded to know. They were doing well if she made it to 8 in the morning, let alone 10.

"No real secret," Geoff said. "Aden let her stay up well past her usual bedtime."

Joey glared at Aden. "Oh great, do you have any idea of what a tired Ruby is like?"

"It wasn't really intentional," he defended himself. "Geoff and I kind of fell asleep watching the movie with her, then when we woke up later, Ruby had already put another movie on and it was close to 11 by that time."

"She's going to be an absolute nightmare to deal with," a horrified Joey said. "She's going to be like one of those little snapping things that bites and yowls whenever you try to get close."

"You're exaggerating," Aden said.

"Actually, she's not," Charlie said. "Ruby's a great girl, but when it comes to staying up well past her bedtime, the feral side has a tendency to come out and it's not always pleasant."

"You'll see for yourself when she wakes up," warned Joey.

"I'll go get her now," Aden said.

"No way," Joey said, standing in front of him. "Let her sleep a little longer and just maybe, it might not be so bad, but if you wake her now, she's going to be staying here until she's civilised again."

He caught the amused glance between the two women that they'd tried to hide. "Very funny, ha, ha, you got me." He glared at his chuckling boyfriend.

"I knew they were pulling your leg from the start," Geoff said.

"Yeah, sure you did," he muttered.

"Seriously though," Joey said. "If she's managed to sleep through your yelling before, then let her sleep a little longer, because she probably needs it."

"We really didn't mean for her to go to bed so late," Aden told her.

"It's happened to us once or twice after a long day," admitted Charlie. "And it's usually the one time the little scamp can stay settled and quiet for a long period of time, because she knows as long as we're asleep or forget she's there, she figures she doesn't have to go to bed."

"I kind of remember doing that as a kid," Aden said.

"Same here," both Joey and Geoff added. They all looked at Charlie.

"Not me," she replied. "I was always Miss By the Book, Do the Right Thing, even at that age."

"Now that, I believe." Joey circled her arms around her waist. "I'm so glad you thawed and joined the rest of us mere mortals with all our common foils."

"So am I." Their lips touched briefly, before they returned their attention to the men.

"We're just about to have a late breakfast, if you'd like to join us," offered Geoff.

"That would be great," replied Joey. "I'm famished."

"Anyone would think you hadn't eaten this morning," Charlie whispered into her ear.

"That workout earlier has made me hungry." Without another word, Joey followed after her friends. Shaking her head in amusement, Charlie quickly followed.


	80. Chapter 80

_ "Mum, that is just so weird and gross." _

_Georgie's heart sank at his reaction._

"I mean geez mum, she's my teacher," Romeo continued on in a whiny voice. "That's just not cool."

Georgie frowned as she started to realise what he was saying. "Hang on," she said. "Are you more upset because Bianca is your teacher than at me for being gay?"

"Mum, I know all about lesbians from Ruby," he said with such an air of superiority that it made her smile. "And Miss Scott is nice and all, I just wish she wasn't my teacher."

She suddenly found herself laughing in relief. It would have broken her heart if he'd thought her being gay was so wrong.

"It is still a bit weird though," he admitted. "You are married to my dad, but now you're gay."

"I know this has come as a bit of a shock to you," Georgie said. "I'm still getting used to it myself."

"Really?"

She nodded. "For a long time now, I've felt as if something wasn't right in my life and while I suspected what it was, I just wasn't willing to confront it and so I ran from it and tried to ignore it."

"Is that why you stayed in the cupboard for so long?"

His adorable word error made her smile once more. "Romeo, it wasn't a matter of knowing I was gay and not telling anyone, it was more a matter of not willing to accept it myself," she told him. "I didn't see myself as gay and in hiding, because I didn't want to see myself as gay at all. I pushed any gay feelings and thoughts aside and tried to be the woman everyone expected me to be."

"You mean what nan and pop wanted you to be," he murmured.

She shouldn't be surprised at how perceptive her son was. Even with their own grandchild, her parents were rather dismissive and cold, though not as much as they had been with her at that same age. She wondered briefly if things would have been different if she'd been born a boy, but then decided, that living in the past or with 'what ifs' wouldn't achieve anything.

"Yes," she replied. "I got into a bad habit from a very early age and only now, am I starting to make decisions and choices that are best for me." She put her arm around his shoulders. "You will always be a part of those decisions and choices, never doubt that, but finally coming to terms with who I am and that I love Bianca, is what I needed for my own lasting happiness and hopefully, being happy and content with myself, I can then make an even happier home life for you and your little brother or sister when the baby comes along."

"And Miss Scott makes you happy?"

"Very much," she told him. "And for the first time in my life, I feel free."

"Then I guess I'm happy too."

He still seemed unsure, but his mother understood. This was a big shock and big changes were going to come as a result and that was a lot for a young kid to take in.

"Romeo, it's ok if you're not really happy about this just yet. Both your father and I have mishandled things badly. Not just last night, but for most of our marriage and we've let you down with our actions."

"I'm just scared more than anything."

* * *

><p>Geoff watched on with amusement. "Wow, she surely does have an appetite," he said.<p>

"Yeah," agreed Charlie. "And this is the second breakfast she's had this morning."

"Where does it all go?"

Joey paused between mouthfuls. "I burn it off."

"This early in the morning?"

Aden leant into him. "I think that would be the cuddling, cuddling, you were teasing them about before."

Blushing with embarrassment, Geoff muttered a few things under his breath.

"I heard that," Joey told him.

"She also has excellent hearing to go with her appetite," Charlie informed him.

"I noticed."

"Although, she does suffer from an acute case of selective deafness when it comes to certain other things," added Charlie.

"Aden is the same," Geoff said. "I ask him to take the rubbish out, the bag stays there, yet if I ask him to go to the nightclub with me, suddenly he's all ears. Then once we're there, even with the loud music, he has no trouble hearing me when I suggest a dance or a drink."

"Ever get the feeling our other halves are talking about us as if we're not here?" Joey whispered loudly to Aden.

"It's a habit Geoff has," Aden said.

"Charlie is the same," replied Joey. "It's a good thing she's so hot though, it makes it easy to forget her own many, many, many, many, many flaws."

"I'm the same with Geoff."

Charlie propped her chin on her hand as she leant her elbow on the table, gazing at her wife with an amused smile. "My many, many, many, many, many flaws?"

"Yep," Joey said. "But I still love you."

"Oh, how magnanimous of you," she dryly said.

"I'd much rather you flawed than perfect," she pointed out to her wife. "Perfect is boring, whereas flawed is more likely to lead you to the fun side of anytime and anywhere."

"I bet I could be perfect and interesting," argued Charlie.

"I beg to differ," replied Joey. "You were the perfect cop before I came along, but you were boring as hell, not to mention you had a stick up your arse." She grinned at her wife.

"I was hardly the perfect cop," she said, knowing her lack of empathy at the time was considered a major flaw by others. "And if I was so boring, why did you fall in love with me?" countered Charlie. "When next door, there was a certain gorgeous and vibrant redhead who would have been only too happy to give you the happies, yet it was boring little old me that you fell in love with."

"Well, you started to become more interesting once the stick extraction process had begun and you decided to be a warm blooded human being with flaws like the rest of us," she said cheekily. "Besides, you were smoking hot and as a card carrying lesbian, I couldn't in good conscience, ignore that fact."

"You drive me nuts," murmured Charlie as she pressed her lips to Joey's. "And I love you, nuts, flaws and all." They kissed again, then again.

"Do you think they've forgotten that this is our place and not theirs?" Geoff said to Aden.

"God I hope they remember pretty soon," murmured Aden. "Or we might end up seeing more than either of us would like to see."

"I bet you two guys aren't any different to us," Joey said. "You love each other and aren't afraid to show it."

"She's got us both there," Geoff replied. "Though I doubt we're as open in public as I've seen you two. You generally don't care that people see you kissing when you're on the town, whereas Aden and I tend to keep it to hand holding when we're in public."

"Except for LGBT friendly nightclubs in the city," Aden said. "There we can be as gay as we like."

"Joey and I have been together for years now," Charlie said. "It's just like second nature to kiss and cuddle whenever we're together, regardless of where we are."

"And to be honest, I don't even think about anyone else except Charlie at those times. Makes it easier to not worry about upsetting anyone with our displays of lesbianism," Joey said. "Not that I give a shit what others think. Charlie is my wife, the mother of my child and we're happy together and if anyone has a problem with that, it's their problem, not mine." She smiled at the two men. "You two will get to that stage yourselves eventually."

"Well, aside from a few bigots, people have pretty much accepted us as a couple," said Aden. "So maybe we could just be more open, see how it goes." Geoff gave him a slight nod of agreement.

"Bet there was some disappointed ladies groaning at the loss of two hot guys from the eligible bachelors list, when you two hooked up," teased Charlie.

"One or two," admitted Geoff. "Especially my ex girlfriend."

"And mine," added Aden. Like Joey, he'd known since he was a teenager that he was gay, yet it had taken him a long time to come out of the closet, so he'd dated women as a way to hide. He always made sure they knew from the start he wasn't into a serious long-term thing, because he didn't want to lead them on, but he still felt bad if they fell in love with him and he was usually pretty quick to then let them down as painlessly as possible, saying it was his fear of commitment or some other fault of his. He'd eventually tired of the deception and came out. That didn't stop some women from thinking they still had a chance to turn him straight again, even when he was dating another man. Then Geoff had come back into his orbit, newly uncloseted and his life had changed that day. They'd been rivals as kids, yet as gay men, they'd found a common ground and something more. And hooking up with Geoff had finally stopped the women from thinking they still had a chance.

"There were a few exes that took it as a slight to them at first, but in the end, I think they were all kind of relieved neither of us had been with them at the time when we came out," Geoff said.

"On the other hand, the other eligible bachelors were extremely happy to have the two hottest guys in town off the market," boasted Aden. "It meant that they were finally in with a chance with the ladies."

They all had a good chuckle at that.

* * *

><p>"Scared?" Georgie said.<p>

"Dex's parents split because they weren't happy together and now Dex doesn't see his mum much."

"That's not going to happen with us." She held her son closer. "Nothing and no one will ever keep me from being in your life and your father will always be there for you as well."

"But dad said you had to choose," he said. "Us or Miss Scott. This is home and I don't want you to move out mum."

How much had he overheard last night, she wondered. His little lip quaver made her even angrier at Jack for his ridiculous ultimatum and for making their son feel like this, but she couldn't let her own anger upset Romeo even more, so she kept her voice as calm as possible as she tried to explain things to him. "Your dad was just a bit shocked with my announcement last night and he said a few things in anger that he didn't mean." At least she hoped he didn't mean it. She didn't want this to end up in a bitter custody dispute, but there was no way in hell she was going to let Jack dictate her life to her or kick her out of her own home to keep her from her son and so she'd fight him all the way if he even tried. She just worried how that would affect their son.

"Mum, are you ok?"

"Sorry, my thoughts went off on their own just then," she said with a wry smile to calm him. "Romeo, whatever happens, I'm not going anywhere," she told him. "Your dad and I will need to talk things through, but I assure you, I'm not going to leave and I'm certainly not going to choose, because both you and Bianca are my life and that isn't going to change."

"Would you and dad still be together if it wasn't for them?"

"Romeo, I don't want you to blame Martha or Bianca for the end of our marriage," she told him.

"But they knew you were married, so shouldn't they have stayed away?"

"Regardless of that, neither your father nor I had to act on our feelings, yet we did and that is on us. When you grow up, you'll understand more about the pull of falling in love." She chuckled at the look of revulsion on his face at the idea of falling in love. "Not that that justifies our actions. Romeo, your father and I have tried to make our marriage work, but it was lacking in all the things needed for a successful marriage and in truth, your father and I could have avoided all of this by talking long ago, well before Martha or Bianca entered the picture. They aren't to blame for this Romeo, your father and I are."

"So does that mean dad will be with Martha now that you're with Miss Scott?"

"I don't know what your father's plans are," she said.

"I don't like her though."

"That's something you're going to have to talk to you father about." She kissed the top of his head. "I am sorry you found out about your dad and Martha that way. We both should have been far more honest with you."

"If you're with Miss Scott, does that make her my step-mum now?"

"We intend to have a long future together, so yes, I guess she is going to be your step-mum."

"And she'll be moving in with us?"

"Let's just slow down a little," she murmured. She had a feeling she was going to have to be answering and deflecting a lot of questions for the near future. "Us adults still have a lot of talking to do."

"But I'm going to be the man of the house mum, so you can tell me."

She smiled at him. Despite his age, he was showing such maturity with his reaction today. "I will tell you Romeo, just not until I've talked to your father and Bianca."

"Can I call her Bianca now?"

"I think you should ask her that." She looked at him with a pensive expression. "I haven't exactly been the strongest role model to you, but after all this is done, I hope I can finely become someone you can be proud of Romeo."

"I've always been proud of you mum."

Ignoring her injuries, she hugged him to her tightly. "Your father and I must have done something right to have such a great kid like you."

"Oh mum," he squirmed uncomfortably in her arms.

* * *

><p>An hour later, the four friends were still seated around the kitchen table, talking and enjoying some quiet time when Geoff noticed movement in the doorway.<p>

"Oh my," he said when Ruby finally joined the waking world. Or nearly waking world. She was rubbing her barely open eyes with the back of her fists and yawning. She only just missed walking into the wall as she entered the kitchen. "What happened to her hair?"

"I'd say a lot of tossing and turning after a late night," Joey said, then turned her attention to Aden. "Have fun brushing it out."

"Me!"

"You were the one who let her stay up well past her bedtime."

"By accident," Aden mumbled.

"This is all a part of parenting."

"But I don't know anything about hair."

"Looking at your own hair, I'd say you probably spend more time putting all that product in it before styling every little hair into place, than it would to tame Ruby's hair."

"She's so right about that," chuckled Geoff.

"You spend even more time doing your hair than I do," complained Aden.

"But we're talking about you, dear," Geoff said sweetly.

Joey smiled broadly. Geoff was the last person she ever expected to become the love of her best friend's life, but now she was so happy they'd found each other, because she'd never seen Aden happier. Not even his present horror at the idea of tackling Ruby's hair, could mask his happiness or the deep affection he had for his partner.

"Hey there little zombie child," Charlie said, ruffling her daughter's hair. All she got from Ruby was a yawn and a complaint from Aden not to make her hair worse.

Ruby still seemed in a bit of daze as she sidled up to her mother's side. Joey kissed her temple. "You feeling ok sweetie?"

Yawning again, Ruby nodded.

"You want some cereal?" asked Joey. Again, Ruby just yawned and nodded.

"She's going to be easy to feed," Charlie said. "Just ask a question, when the mouth opens for a yawning response, in goes the spoon."

Joey got her daughter to sit down and then went looking for the cereal in the pantry. Normally she'd let Ruby get her own brekkie, but if she did that this morning, there was likely to be a lot of cereal and milk everywhere except in the bowl. "Fruit loops?" she raised an enquiring brow at the two men.

"We got them for when Ruby stays over," explained Geoff.

Joey shook the box. "Sounds well over half empty."

"Well, once they're open, we can't let them go stale, so we have to eat them as well," Aden pointed out to her.

"Yeah, right," murmured Joey. "You always did have a sweet tooth, Aden." Pouring the cereal, followed by the milk, Joey took the bowl over to the table.

"Thanks mum."

"Ah, she speaks," teased Charlie. "Ruby, this is why you need to go to bed early at night."

"I know," she spoke around a mouthful of cereal.

"Until the next time," Charlie said with a smile. "You up to some girl time today with your mum and me or do you just want to go home and snooze some more after brekkie."

"Girl time!" Her response was the most enthusiastic of the morning.

"Looks like the sugar hit is already having an effect," said Joey.

"She'll be bouncing off the walls soon," added Charlie.

"You might need to hold her down to brush her hair," Joey suggested to Aden.

He groaned as he warily eyed off the tangled mess of hair.

"Good luck with it," whispered Geoff.


	81. Chapter 81

"That was a nice way to start the day," Charlie said as she walked hand in hand with her wife along the beach. Their daughter was off running ahead of them.

"Which part?" asked Joey. "Our morning workouts or catching up with the boys."

"All of it."

"Well, I especially loved the kitchen," Joey said.

"Figures," murmured Charlie.

"Just imagine what we could have gotten away with if we had the energy of Ruby," Joey said with a chuckle as Ruby was doing her best to scare away all the seagulls. Ruby's hair, which had finally been tamed only after she had relented on Aden, or more to the point, decided to save her daughter from his lack of prowess with the brush, was once more starting to resemble the fright it had been earlier that morning. The sea air and wind really did play havoc with her curly mop.

"Not sure I'd have survived the encounter," answered Charlie. "You're more than enough for me just as you are."

"Why thank you, my dear."

"She's going to sleep well tonight," Charlie murmured as Ruby went haring off even further ahead.

"Yeah, but I'm thinking she's going to be cranky before then though," Joey said.

"Then we could always palm her off onto the boys again, since they're the ones who let her stay up late in the first place."

Chuckling, Joey slid her arm around her wife's waist. "Not even I'd be that cruel."

"We'd better catch up with her."

* * *

><p>Georgie sighed as she was enveloped in the warm embrace of her girlfriend. Bianca had wasted little time in coming over after she'd called her and she'd fallen into her arms as she recounted her confrontation with her husband. The husband who had yet to return home. She didn't care about his absence right at that moment though as Bianca gently swayed them.<p>

"I still can't believe he gave me an ultimatum," she murmured while Bianca silently fumed at the situation. She got that Jack was shocked to discover his wife was a lesbian, but to then tell his wife it was her lover or her son and baby, was way out of line.

"Well, now that it's all out in the open and you've told him you're ending your marriage, everyone can now start to work through this," Bianca gently said. Right now, her girlfriend needed her support more than she needed her going off at her husband's idiocy.

"I just wish Romeo hadn't heard his parents arguing like that."

"You said he's taken it well."

"Maybe a little too well," she said. "I'm worried he's holding it in."

"Keep an eye on him, but I wouldn't worry too much," said Bianca. "Some kids are just more intuitive than others that things weren't right beforehand, so it doesn't hit them as hard when the announcement finally comes."

"He definitely knew things weren't right since he saw his father and Martha kissing at my last birthday party."

Bianca winced. "Poor kid."

"He didn't tell me what he saw back then, because he didn't want me to be hurt." Her voice caught as she said that.

"Romeo is a good kid," Bianca said. "Who loves his mum very much and obviously wants her to be happy."

"I just don't want to stuff this up anymore than I already have."

"Georgie, you did the best you could," Bianca told her.

"If I'd been a stronger person, I could have done better."

"There's no denying that you have made mistakes, so has Jack, but you've always had the right intentions in mind." She released her from her arms so she could hold her gaze. "As for you wanting to be a stronger person, you already are," she said. "You have grown so much already in such a short time." Bianca cupped her cheek and smiled at her. "I find you amazing."

Her heart fluttered at the gentle touch and look in her girlfriend's eyes. "Really?"

Bianca nodded. "You have always put yourself down, yet you went from believing you were weak and useless, to telling your husband you were leaving him for the woman you loved and basically telling him to fuck off if he tried to take your boy from you." She grinned at her. "Not to mention, you were my little defender as well."

"I knew it was going to be hard to tell Jack and I expected some anger from him, but I just saw red when he called you a slut and no one comes between my child and me, not even Jack," she declared emphatically.

"Do you have any idea how sexy you are when you get that fire in your belly like just then?"

"Me, sexy?"

"Extremely." She pressed her lips to Georgie's.

* * *

><p>Joey threw her arms into the air in victory. "I'm the queen of the castle," she crowed and pointed to her wife. "And you're the dirty rascal."<p>

Charlie spared a glance at the sandcastle her wife had been tirelessly working on. "It's supposed to have four walls," she haughtily said as she carefully scrapped some loose sand off her own masterpiece. "That train wreck barely has two."

"They're free standing walls," Joey fired back. "And it's not a train wreck."

"Ruby," Charlie said. "What do you think of your mum's castle?" She chuckled at the way her daughter was tapping her finger to her lips in serious concentration as she walked around her mother's creation.

"What is it?" Ruby finally asked her mother.

"It's a sandcastle," replied Joey as if it should be obvious.

"Shouldn't it look like one then?"

Joey glared at her wife who had burst out laughing at Ruby's comment. "It does look like a sandcastle," she muttered. "See," she pointed. "Those are the walls, this is the moat and here is where the drawbridge would be."

Ruby shook her head. "I just don't see it, mum," she said.

"What about mine Ruby?" asked Charlie.

Ruby repeated the same careful inspection she had given to her mother's construction, before stopping in front of both kneeling women. "It looks like a sandcastle," she replied.

"Ok Ruby, then who is the winner?" Charlie asked with cocky confidence.

"Mine of course," she declared triumphantly. Both mothers looked at their daughter's castle. It was passable at best.

Joey just rolled her eyes at the outcome while Charlie muttered rather huffily, "Yep, she's definitely your daughter." She folded her arms, turned to her wife and said, "You really should be teaching our daughter to be more sporting."

"Oh, and what do you intend to teach her?"

"Well that's pretty obvious," Charlie said. "I'll teach her how to make the perfect sandcastle."

Joey's eyes narrowed in that telltale warning sign and Charlie prepared herself for the inevitable attack she was sure was coming. Only it didn't come from the front, rather from the side as their daughter launched herself at her and Charlie suddenly found herself landing on her wonderful creation.

Sand flew everywhere as Joey joined in and Charlie was besieged by the mother and daughter team. "Hey, no fair," she complained to no avail.

* * *

><p>"Mmmm, very sexy," Bianca murmured against Georgie's lips. She didn't think she'd ever get enough of those cushiony lips. They just felt made for her to kiss. She sighed in disappointment when Georgie finally pulled away. "What's wrong?" she asked when she saw her pensive expression.<p>

"Romeo is right next door and I've only just told him about us."

"And you don't want to rub his face in it, by having him come home and see us like this."

She nodded. "His whole life is about to change and I just want to give him some time to get used to the idea of us first."

"I can certainly understand that, but I warn you," Bianca said, her smile breaking into more of a leer. "I'm not sure that I can behave myself around you."

Georgie shivered at the predatory look her girlfriend was sending her way. "Please don't look at me like that."

Chuckling, Bianca leant in and brushed her lips over Georgie's forehead. "We'll go whatever speed you want."

Georgie had closed her eyes the moment Bianca's lips had touched her skin. "Oh god," she moaned. "I'm thinking warp speed right now."

Emboldened by the passion in Georgie's now open eyes, Bianca moved in again, this time, her lips touching hers. It was soft at first, then deepened as both women gave into their desires.

* * *

><p>"I now declare a draw in the Buckton Girl's Sandcastle Building Competition," Joey said as the three of them observed the demolished remains of their castles.<p>

"I can agree to that," Charlie said.

"Me too," added Ruby.

* * *

><p>"I love you so much," Georgie murmured, as their kissing showed no sign of ending.<p>

"I love hearing you say that," Bianca said.

"I love saying it."

"Then please, don't stop on my account," Jack's harsh voice cut through the moment and both women jumped away from each other. "I mean, it's only my very married wife that is shoving her tongue down another woman's throat, after all, so please, carry on as if there is nothing wrong with this picture."

* * *

><p>"I'm going to be cleaning sand out of all crevices for the rest of the day," complained Charlie as she started to brush all the sand off her clothing.<p>

"Jump in the sea and you can wash it all off now," suggested Joey.

"I'm not exactly dressed for the water," she said.

"Sure you are," countered Joey. "You're in shorts and a tank top, perfectly suitable for a quick dip."

"And what happens when my body hits cold water and my white tank top gets wet?"

Joey's expression took on an all new look as Charlie's meaning sunk in. "Ooh, a wife's erotic dream come true," she leeringly said. She then made clawing gestures with her hands at chest height. "Nipple headlights."

"Exactly," muttered Charlie, grateful Ruby was currently out of earshot for this conversation. "Not only does white cotton become near transparent, it will cling to my bra and leave little to the imagination."

"I already have a very healthy imagination."

"Don't I know it," she said. "But I'd rather not have everyone else using their imagination on me."

"Charlie, I'm pretty sure there are already plenty of people who use their imagination the moment they see you," Joey pointed out. "Especially when you're in your uniform."

"At least I'm dressed then."

"You're dressed now," she pointed out. "Actually, you're covering more skin right now than if we'd come to the beach in our bikinis."

"My bikini top doesn't go transparent when you add water."

"Well, if you're not going to take a dip, then you're just going to have to put up with the sand chaffing all your sensitive bits until we get home."

"Do you have to sound like you're enjoying my discomfort so much," Charlie muttered.

"I grew up on the coast, so I'm accustomed to the sand," replied Joey. "I also know the advantage of having tight shorts on. Harder for the sand to get in."

"I was thinking there was another advantage to that strip of material you call shorts," Charlie said. She let herself enjoy a few lusty thoughts as she gazed at her wife's attire. "Nice curves, by the way."

"Thank you," she happily accepted the compliment. "You really will feel better after getting rid of that sand," she told her wife.

"There is no way I'm getting into that water." Joey took a step forward and Charlie put her hand up to ward her off as she backed away from her. "Joey, don't you even dare think about it."

"Charlie, you know I can't resist a challenge."

"No, Joey, no."

"Ruby, come and help your mother," Joey called out loudly.

Once more Charlie found herself outnumbered as Team Mum and Daughter ganged up on her. She tried to dodge around them, but Joey tackled her hips and wouldn't let go. Charlie felt herself being pushed backward. Her feet were wet now. "Oh well," she thought in surrender. If she was going to be dunked, then she was going to take them with her. No longer resisting against them, she waited for the right moment and then threw her arms around them as she fell backwards. All three went under water.

"Charlie!" Joey spluttered in indignation when her head came above the water.

Charlie grinned at them both. "Don't see why I had to be the only one wet."

"You!" Joey said and splashed her.

Charlie splashed back.

Ruby splashed them both.

It went back and forth between the trio as they laughed and splashed together.


	82. Chapter 82

Jack glared at the women before him. He resented how happy his wife had looked while she was kissing that bitch. Not once, had she ever had that look of desire for him and it made his whole sacrifice in staying with her all the more galling. "What if it'd been Romeo who walked in on this adulterous display," he sneered.

"Like how he saw you and Martha at my birthday party," Georgie fired back. She did feel guilty though. Romeo walking in and catching his mother in a passionate embrace wasn't the first impression she wanted him to have of them as a couple. "He never said anything until this morning, because he hadn't wanted to hurt me."

"Yeah, well, he sure would have copped an eyeful of his mother just then," he said. "How would you have explained having your tongue down his teacher's throat?"

"He knows all about Bianca and us."

"What!" he shouted. "You spoke to him without me?"

Bianca had already drawn closer once more to her girlfriend and she reached out for her hand, squeezing it gently.

"What was I meant to do Jack?" Georgie replied. "Put him off and wait for you to come home when I had no idea where you were or how long you were going to be?" She shook her head. "I had already promised to explain everything to him and it wasn't fair to make him wait any longer."

"Yeah and I bet you made me out to be the bad guy."

"You really think I would do that?" she said in slightly injured tone. "I would never turn our son against you, but he was scared he was going to lose me after hearing you give that ultimatum to me."

"I'm sorry if he heard that."

"You should never have said it in the first place," she spat.

"I was angry," he sulkily said. "As I had every right to be after what you did."

"So we're back to playing 'it's all my fault and you're not to blame for any of it', are we?" she mockingly said.

"I tried to do the right thing by you," he mumbled. Jack finally noticed the handholding and all of a sudden, he remembered Bianca's reaction at the hospital. He'd been grateful for her support but now he realised the real reason why she had been there, why she had been so upset. It was because her lover had been fighting for her life. Her lover. The humiliation made him sick with anger. "I think you should leave," he ordered to Bianca. "My _wife_," he overly stressed it, "And I need to talk."

"I'm not going anywhere," she replied.

"It's ok Bianca," Georgie said. "He's right, we do need to talk."

Bianca hesitated, but seeing the appeal in her girlfriend's eyes, she nodded. "I'll be just outside if you need me."

"She won't," muttered Jack as she walked past him.

Georgie took a moment to take in her husband's appearance and she shook her head in disappointment. "For God's sake Jack, you smell like a brewery even from here and look like you slept on the beach."

He scowled at her since that was exactly where he'd woken up. Everything had been changing too quickly, so he'd sought out something familiar and that had been Martha. She'd listened to him explain how his marriage was finished, then she'd slammed the door in his face. That had just made him even angrier at his wife. He'd stood by her, even sacrificed his relationship with Martha to be a good husband and then she had thrown it back in his face and now he didn't even have Martha. He'd bought a bottle of whiskey and gone to drown his sorrows at his and Martha's favourite spot on the beach. And that was where he'd woken up only a half hour ago.

"Jesus Christ Georgie, I just found out my wife is a fucking dyke, so how am I meant to look?" he said snidely and Georgie sighed. This wasn't going to go well at all.

* * *

><p>"Stop tugging at your top," Joey told her wife as they slowly made their way out of the water. She tried to catch Charlie's hand to stop her, but it was slapped away.<p>

"It's all wet," complained Charlie.

"Of course it is Charlie," Joey spoke as if speaking to a small child. "We've just been splashing around like fish in the water and that does tend to leave a person all wet."

"Ha, ha, very funny," muttered Charlie in reply. She looked down at her top. "See, I told you this would happen."

"Oh believe me, I am looking," she said, her eyes admiring the tantalising view before her.

"My tank top is nearly all transparent, not to mention that the cold water has made my headlights just a little too prominent for my liking," whined Charlie.

"But perfectly suited for my liking," joked Joey.

"You really aren't helping," Charlie said to her.

"No, but it's only normal for any card-carrying lesbian to find such prominent headlights very attractive and enticing." She grinned wickedly at her wife. "So attractive and enticing, that I will gladly help you with your little problems."

"How exactly?" Charlie warily asked.

"By warming them up for you," she offered in a very helpful manner and for extra effect, she repeated the clawing gestures she'd made earlier.

Charlie glared at her wife. Joey was dripping wet. Her clothes clung tightly to her body, strands of hair were plastered to her face and her own nipples were very noticeable. She didn't seem to care though as she stood there making those ridiculous hand gestures, while wearing that annoyingly teasing grin she knew drove her nuts. As frustrating as her teasing wife could be, there were times where she'd happily have her carefree nature.

"I am completely serious here, Charlie," Joey said in a not so serious way. "I, your beloved wife, am offering my headlight warming services to you," she grandly stated. "And those services come with a firm guarantee to warm you up from head to toe, or more specifically, heat up those headlights so that those pointy little buggers go back to flatsville."

"I know exactly what kind of warming up you have in mind," Charlie drolly said. "And any such display of said services, would likely end up with the both of us arrested for public indecency."

Joey sighed with dramatic disappointment. "Cops are such prudes."

"No, just practical," Charlie said. "And my beloved wife, I happen to think that your idea is the absolute worst," she said with an air of authority. "Because not only would it not have the desired effect at all, it would indeed, have the exact opposite effect."

"How so?"

"Well, if the idea is to make my headlights less prominent, then you giving them special attention to warm them up, isn't exactly going to make them go back into flatsville, as you so claim," she simply stated. "I think we both have enough knowledge of each other to realise that any attention from you that involved a certain level of touching at this stage, would likely result in an even more prominent problem," she said. "Maybe even prominent enough to take your eyes out."

"Good point," Joey said. She gazed at her wife's chest. "Two of them actually."

Charlie rolled her eyes. Her wife was so playful today, which she loved, but at the same time, it was tiring because she always had to be on her toes as she had no idea what to expect from her next. Or when.

"Charlie," Ruby said. "What headlights are you talking about?"

Her innocent question sparked two very different reactions from her mums, both of whom hadn't heard their daughter sneaking up on them. While Joey laughed out loud, Charlie blushed an interesting shade of red. Like mother like daughter, thought Charlie in her embarrassment. She just didn't know what was coming next from either of them.

"Yeah Charlie," a gleeful Joey said. "What headlights?"

* * *

><p>"We do need to talk Jack, but that doesn't mean I'm going to stand here and let you dictate my life to me," Georgie fiercely said. "So any suggestion that I have to choose my child or Bianca or that I should move out of this house is off limits, because none of that is going to happen."<p>

"What, so I'm the one who is expected to leave my own home?" he said angrily. "You're the one with the girlfriend."

"If you insist on playing that game, then I will win, because you were seeing Martha for a hell of a lot longer than I've been with Bianca." She took a calming breath. "Jack, this is Romeo's home and he needs all the stability we can give him right now."

"Romeo is my son and I have as much right to him as you do," he replied. "I'm not leaving this house and I won't let you take Romeo on your way out."

"Well I'm not budging either."

"Then we'll ask him who he wants to live with," he said smugly. "His father or his dykey mother and her lesbian slag."

"Don't you dare insult her again," she warned. "And maybe we should ask Romeo, since he doesn't want me to leave." Georgie scowled at him. "And if I were you, I'd be very careful what you ask of him, since he's not a big fan of Martha. She might just be the deal breaker for him."

"Martha and I are over."

"How long will that last?"

"I'm not with her, ok, so Martha isn't an issue," he told her. "Your girlfriend on the other hand, is."

* * *

><p>Bianca paced on the front porch. The raised voices coming from inside were almost as bad as the silences when their voices didn't quite carry to her. She really wanted to be in there instead of out here. She spun on her heel and nearly tripped over Romeo.<p>

"Sorry, I didn't realise you were there," she said, feeling suddenly flustered to be standing face-to-face with this boy. Her student and the son of her lover who had just learnt his family was being split apart. He was looking so serious there as he gazed up at her.

"So you're my step mum now?" he said without any preamble.

"I guess so," she hesitantly replied.

"Can I call you Bianca?"

"Yes, but at school, you still have to call me Miss Scott."

"Are you going to make my mum happy?"

She was feeling more relaxed and confident now as she responded to his questioning. "Romeo, I am going to try very hard to make your mum feel like she's the most special lady in the world."

"She is special," he said. "She's my mum."

She smiled at him. "You and I both know she's special, but we need to make her believe it of herself."

That seemed like it was the right thing to say, because he was now smiling shyly at her. She indicated to the swing chair at the end of the porch and he followed her there before sitting next to her. "Romeo, I know this is all a lot to take in, so if you ever want to talk, you can come to me."

"Dad wants mum to go, but I don't want her to," he said in a small voice. "She said she wasn't going anywhere, but dad always gets his own way."

"Romeo, your mother is so much stronger than that now and she would never let anyone come between you and herself. Not even your father will change that."

* * *

><p>It had taken some time and a certain amount of effort on her part to ignore her wife's teasing and very unhelpful hints, for Charlie to explain to their daughter what she'd meant about her headlights. But somehow, she'd managed to muddle her way through without making a complete arse of herself. And thankfully, her annoyingly cheeky wife had eventually come to her rescue, after Ruby had started off on her next round of questions. That girl really knew how to conduct an inquisition and she could probably get a confession out of anybody, if for no other reason than to just spare themselves from more and more and more questions being fired off at them. She was starting to think that she should encourage Ruby to have a career in the Force. It would be nice to have the Buckton name continue on.<p>

That made her pause for thought. Ruby appeared to have forgotten about her desire for a baby brother or sister, but occasionally, it entered her own mind. She had told Ruby that there was no real rush to have a baby, but she and Joey were in such a good place right now, their past troubles well behind them, so maybe they didn't have to put it off. Then again, maybe she was just getting broody because Georgie was pregnant and so there had been a lot of talk of babies lately.

Still. Charlie allowed her eyes to rake over the body of her wife as they walked, imagining her in the full bloom of pregnancy. Her belly rounded with their child. Her breasts full and plump. Her mouth literally watered at the thought of Joey with cushiony breasts big enough for her to lay her head on.

Joey stopped suddenly and she nearly stumbled into her. "Jesus Joey."

"Stop that."

"Stop what?"

"You're staring at me with that expression and drool practically leaking from your mouth and it's making me god damn horny."

"Shhh," hissed Charlie. "Or Ruby will be asking you what horny means next." Thankfully though, their daughter had once again rushed ahead of them and so was out of earshot. For the moment.

"Yeah well, if you keep looking at me like that," Joey whispered, "Then she might get a very graphic demonstration of just what horny is."

Charlie circled her arms around her wife's waist. "Geez, you're really wired."

"It's all your fault," she mumbled. "First with the transparent top and headlights." At that reminder, Charlie spared a quick silent thanks to the sun for drying out her top and warming her up without any help from her wife. "And then you staring at me with that look."

"And just what is this look you're accusing me of having?"

"I don't know. I can usually tell what you're thinking by your expression, but I don't know that one," she admitted. "It gets my blood heating up though."

"Then if you must know, I was imagining what you would look like in the full bloom of pregnancy."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I'd just been thinking what a good little interrogator Ruby would be and how great it would be if she became a cop and carried on the Buckton name," she said. "Then the next minute, my mind kind of wandered and I found myself picturing you pregnant."

"Ooo, that sounds like a fun game," Joey said. She stepped back from her and with her finger tapping her lips in serious concentration, much as her daughter had done earlier when judging their sandcastles, Joey stared at her. "Mmm, you're right, pregnant Charlie is delectable."

"Me pregnant!" she yelped.

"Sure, why not?"

"Well, I, um." She frowned. Funny, it hadn't really come up in previous discussions, so she'd always assumed if they ever had another child, Joey would be the one to carry him or her.

"If I'm not mistaken, you're a woman and that means that this oven," she patted Charlie on the belly. "Can bake a bun in it." She smiled at her. "But I think this is a discussion for another time," Joey said and she chuckled at her wife's sigh of relief.

"Mum," Ruby said as she came rushing back to them. "Can we stop at Miss Hogan's for a milkshake?"

"Sure, but only for a milkshake," Joey said. "We don't want a repeat of the last time."

"Eww, god no," Charlie said in agreement, feeling slightly queasy just at the thought of having to clean up vomit again.

* * *

><p>They'd been arguing back and forth and getting nowhere when Jack said with a heavy sigh. "Georgie, how in the hell did we get this way?"<p>

"It's the same problem we've always had," she replied. "We never talked when it actually mattered and we both had very different needs the other couldn't possibly meet." She shook her head tiredly. "Look Jack, we can stand here and fire off insults and blame, back and forth all day, but we won't just be hurting each other, we'll be hurting Romeo. We've already failed him with our behaviour and attitude toward our marriage in the lead up to this mess and from now on, he needs to come first."

"I don't want to see Romeo hurting either," Jack said. "But I'm also not going to just bend over and let you shaft me on this, because you think being the mother gives you more right to him than me."

"I don't believe that at all."

"Then move out."

"Romeo needs me."

"Are you saying he doesn't need me?"

"That's not it at all," she said in frustration as around and around they went.

* * *

><p>With Joey and Ruby chatting behind her, Charlie was walking a little ahead of them and she had just rounded the corner of the Hogan's store, when something slammed into her chest and exploded outward.<p>

* * *

><p>Every time the voices rose inside, Romeo had crept closer to Bianca's side. She put her arm around him. "It's all going to work out ok Romeo." At least she hoped it did.<p>

* * *

><p>"Enough of this Jack," Georgie said, fed up by all the shouting. "It's obvious that we're just not ready to come to any agreement right now."<p>

"This needs to be sorted," he told her. "And as soon as possible."

"I know that, but we're not going to achieve that when all we're doing is shouting at each other."

"Only because you're being so fucking stubborn."

"And you just can't handle me standing up for myself, can you?" she fired back. "Well Jack, this is me standing up and saying we're done talking for now."

"Don't you dare walk away from me Georgie," he shouted.

* * *

><p>As the sound of her girlfriend crying out in pain reached her ears, Bianca was launching to her feet and charging inside to her aid.<p> 


	83. Chapter 83

"Great, first sand," moaned a very unhappy and uncomfortable Charlie. "And now flour."

Joey ran her finger through it and then licked her finger. "Self raising flour."

"Gee, that is really helpful information to know," she sarcastically replied.

"And here I was thinking that Ruby was going to be the cranky one today."

Charlie's eyes narrowed, but the cheeky grin and bright eyes of her wife meant she couldn't stay mad for long. "This is disgusting," she went back to complaining about her current predicament. While the sun may have dried off her clothing, her hair was another matter. It had still been rather damp from their earlier frolicking in the water and unfortunately, damp hair didn't really mix well with flour. In fact, it was a very unpleasant combination.

"You're going to have fun getting that dough out of your hair, but it could have been worse," Joey noted.

"How could it get any worse than this?"

"Well, on the bright side, your headlights have been covered in a very effective manner," she happily informed her and Charlie just rolled her eyes. The longer the morning went on, the more she was starting to wonder if Ruby was the only one in this family who had been on a sugar high today. "And because the flour bomb hit you on the chest, only the blow off from when it exploded on impact, reached your hair," explained Joey. "If it had struck a little higher, it could have gone right into your eyes or at least gone all through your hair in a far heavier dusting than it did. And if that had happened, then you could have ended up resembling that marshmallow man in Ghostbusters." Joey grinned at her. "Though probably more like the aftermath of when he had exploded." She stood back and had a good look at her wife. "That flour really brings out the blue in your eyes as well." Grinning again, she patted her cheek in a rather condescending manner. "Anything that makes your eyes pop like that can only be a good thing."

"Sure, if you can handle the stickiness," muttered Charlie. She gripped a bit of her fringe at her forehead, pulled her hand away and shook it. She grimaced at the sticky glob that fell from her fingers. "Yuck."

"Gives new meaning to the term, stuck on you," quipped Joey and their daughter thought that was a great joke, laughing even louder than she already had been.

"Very droll," Charlie said. She pulled another lump out. "Where the hell did this come from?"

"I think you might have been collateral damage," commented Joey and she pointed to the front of the Hogan's store. The windows and door were covered in flour and the shattered remnants of a dozen or so eggs.

"Who the hell would flour bomb and egg the store?"

"I'd say it was those kids I saw running away," Joey said. She pointed in the direction they ran off in but they were long gone by now.

"Did you recognise any of them?"

"Only one," she admitted. "But I hope like hell that I'm mistaken."

* * *

><p>"What the fuck did you do to her," Bianca yelled at Jack as she shoved him away from her girlfriend.<p>

"It was an accident," he said in a quavering voice. "I didn't mean to hurt her."

Bianca quickly checked over her girlfriend. When Georgie nodded she was fine, Bianca turned back to him. "I think you should leave."

Having the woman who had stolen his wife telling him to leave his own home awakened Jack's anger once more. "This is my house and I think it's you who should leave," he snarled.

"Jack, please," Georgie said as she fought back tears. "You're upsetting everyone, including your son."

He looked over at his son. There was a touch of fear in his eyes and it was like a stab to the heart. Still, he refused to back down. "If I go, I'm taking Romeo with me," Jack stubbornly said.

"You're not taking Romeo anywhere," she told him. "Especially not while you're in this state."

"He's coming with me."

"And where do you intend to take him?" asked Georgie. "A hotel room? That's hardly the place for a boy to stay for any length of time."

Jack just ignored her. "Romeo, get a bag of stuff ready, we'll be leaving shortly."

"But I want to stay with mum."

"Your mum can't even look after herself," he said to his son.

"Then I'll help her." Romeo stood defiantly in front of his father. "I'm not leaving mum."

"He's made his choice Jack," Georgie said, feeling so proud of her son right then. "Now please respect it, at least until we can sit down and have a proper talk."

"That's what we've been doing and it's gotten us nowhere."

"No Jack, we've been too busy yelling at each other to really talk," she replied. "Please Jack, just give us some space."

"Or do you intend to stay and hurt her again," Bianca added.

Jack glared at her but his guilt started to gnaw at him. "It was an accident," he said. "But fine, I'll go." He stared at both women. "Just don't go getting any ideas about thinking I'm giving up on the house or Romeo," he informed them. "Because this isn't over, not by a long shot."

"It really was an accident," Georgie said the moment he was gone. "I went to walk away and he grabbed my arm to stop me." She winced slightly at the reminder. "He forgot it was broken, that's all. I should have had my sling on."

"Injured or not, he still had no right to grab you," Bianca pointed out. She gently wiped away one of her tears with her thumb. "Why didn't you have your sling on?"

"I was so nervous this morning, because I'd promised Romeo I'd tell him what was going on, that I couldn't get the damn thing on without getting tangled up in it, so I gave up trying."

"Are you sure you're ok?" she asked in concern. "Maybe we should go to the hospital, just in case."

"No, I'll be fine," she replied. "Romeo needs me more right now."

She held her good arm out and Romeo ran to her, throwing his arms around her waist. She winced once more as he bumped her injured ribs, but she didn't let him know it as she held him. "Romeo, I'm sorry you had to hear us arguing again," she said as he sobbed against her. She had thought he was still next door, but that was no excuse.

* * *

><p>"Why would he flour bomb and egg the store?" Charlie said as she wiped her face with the towel Ailsa had given her while they waited for the others to arrive.<p>

"He's a boy, it was probably some dare or something," replied Joey.

"Ailsa, you need to leave that for the moment," Charlie told the older woman when she started to wipe away some of the egg and flour from the door.

"It'll be harder to get off the longer I leave it," she argued.

"I know, but you can't touch anything until the police have taken photos."

"Then shouldn't you stop wiping it off yourself," countered Ailsa.

"Probably, but it is making me sneeze, so I at least need to clean my face." She looked down at her front. "I think there is still more than enough evidence that I was flour bombed," murmured Charlie.

"You know, I'm not sure we really need the police," Ailsa said. "It probably was just a prank or something."

"It's still defacing property and the boys should at least be spoken to about what they've done," Charlie said. "Even if it's just a warning to scare them off doing it again."

"I suppose so," she muttered in resignation. "Can't you do it though?" suggested Ailsa. "You are the police after all."

"She's off duty, not to mention that she is also a victim of sorts," Joey pointed out. "And I'm a witness, so she's kind of compromised."

"Yeah, what she said," Charlie added.

Ailsa just sighed and shook her head. "Fine," she muttered. "I'll get you another towel."

"Thanks Ailsa," Charlie said. "And thanks for keeping Ruby out of the way."

"She's a good little helper," she replied, since Ruby had been helping her in the store, in exchange for a free milkshake.

"Pity the little scamp wasn't so helpful at home," Charlie said and Ailsa smiled a little as she went back inside.

"Poor woman, to have this happen to her on top of everything else," Joey said. "It's not easy to be in this town when you have a past that can come back and haunt you."

"Yet Ailsa has handled all the vindictive gossip with aplomb," Charlie said. "She's not let it distract her or been drawn into any battles. She's just gone about her business."

"Still, it's not nice to be the subject of malicious gossip."

"No it's not," agreed Charlie. "If it has affected anyone though, it's Shauna. She really seems unsettled these days." She wiped some more muck off her face. "Coming face to face with the father you don't want to have anything to do with, while also dealing with a broken heart and problems at work, is really starting to take its toll on her."

"Just wait till Georgie and Bianca start to step out in public," murmured Joey. "Then all the gossip will be about them, not Ailsa and Shauna."

"Yeah, but then Shauna will still have to watch Bianca being incredibly happy with another woman." Charlie sighed at the current situation. "What a mess."

"In more ways than one," Joey said as she helped her wife clean herself up some more.

* * *

><p>Georgie was lying on the couch with her head resting on Bianca's lap, her girlfriend's hand gently playing with her hair while the other lay on her belly, where a new life was growing. At that moment, Georgie felt totally relaxed, despite the stressful morning she'd endured. It really was amazing how simply being in Bianca's arms, made everything feel ok, no matter what else was going on. She'd never felt this before and it was wonderful.<p>

"Romeo seems to have calmed down some after your talk," Bianca murmured softly.

"He's still pretty upset with his dad right now though," Georgie replied. Her son was in his room playing computer games. Not so much hiding out, as needing an outlet for his anger and frustration. She still couldn't believe Jack had carried on like that in front of their son, though in fairness, her own behaviour had left a lot to be desired.

"Georgie, Romeo has every reason to be upset with Jack after that little display earlier."

"Yeah, I know, but Jack didn't really mean to hurt me and I don't want it to colour Romeo's relationship with his father," she said. "I also don't want him to have to keep witnessing his parents arguing all the time. No kid deserves that."

"Everything is changing quickly at the moment," Bianca explained. "You all just need time to catch up and get used to it and once Jack realises your marriage has been over for ages and you're better off apart, he'll come around."

"I expected some anger, but he's been so unreasonable, especially when it comes to blame. We both fucked up, yet me finding love is somehow to blame for the end of our marriage." She sighed heavily. "My leaving him for a woman seems to have wounded his male ego to the point where he's almost a stranger to me."

"Like I said, he just needs some time to adjust," Bianca said.

"I'm not sure if time will make any difference," she muttered. "I have a feeling I'm going to be in for a real fight if he decides to make trouble."

"Then we'll deal with him together."

Georgie looked up at her. "I think Romeo isn't the only one who has found a new hero today."

"What, me?"

"The way you came rushing to my side and stood up to Jack," she explained. "Too often he would have seen me back down."

"He didn't see that today," Bianca assured her. "Today he saw his mum fighting for him and for herself."

"Because I can't lose him or you."

"You won't lose either of us, ever."

"I am so incredibly lucky to have found you."

"I feel the same about you." Bianca leant down and brushed her lips over her forehead. "I really am powerless when I'm around you," Bianca murmured and the confession moved Georgie. She never once expected to have such an effect on another person. "I have never loved anyone as much as I love you and I just want to touch and hold you forever."

"That sounds absolutely wonderful."

* * *

><p>"Are you sure?" Leah asked, still in a state of shock at what Joey had just told them.<p>

"I wish I was mistaken Leah," Joey said to her friend. "I really do, but it was definitely VJ that I saw running away with the other kids."

Leah looked at her son. He stood between his parents, his eyes downcast and his shoulders slumped.

"Is that true?" she asked of her sun. "Did you do this?" Leah said, pointing to Charlie and the storefront. "Well?" she demanded and he finally nodded. "Why on earth would you do this VJ?"

"Because it's her fault that you're working so much," he told her.

"What?" Leah said in confusion.

"I heard Peter telling you that he didn't want you to work extra hours to keep your customers happy and stop her taking away your customers."

"Oh VJ, Ailsa hasn't taken my customers away," she said. "Your father and I were just a little worried at the time about having a bit of competition for the Diner, but it hasn't affected the business at all."

"But you're working more."

"The business is doing better than ever, VJ," she assured him. "And the reason I've been working extra hours, is because Colleen has been sick and Irene hasn't been able to work all her shifts, so I've been covering for them," she explained.

"Oh," he muttered in a very small voice.

"VJ, what did you expect to achieve by throwing eggs and flour at Ailsa's store?" Joey asked him. "Did you think it would stop people coming here?"

"I don't know."

"You realise that Charlie could have been hurt if she'd been hit directly in the face and eyes with that flour bomb," she said to him. "Were you the one who hit Charlie?"

"I don't think so."

"Who were the other boys?"

He shrugged in reply.

"Joey, can you give a description of any of them?" Peter asked of her.

"Not really," she said with a shake of her head. "I only really saw their backs as they ran, except for VJ. He was the last to turn his back on us before he ran."

"Ailsa, what about you, did you see anything?"

Ailsa also shook her head. "I was in the kitchen making up sandwiches and thought I heard something hit the window, but they were gone by the time I got outside."

"Well then," Peter said. "If you won't name names, then all the responsibility lies on you," he sternly said. "VJ, hitting someone with a projectile of any kind, is not only dangerous, it's classed as assault."

VJ was certainly getting a good scare, thought Charlie. She felt a little bad for him, but if a little scare prevented him from getting up to more mischief like this, then it was worth it. "Peter, I don't want to press assault charges," she informed them all and she saw the relief in VJ's eyes. "But I do think that Miss Hogan and I deserve an apology."

"I don't want to press any charges either," Ailsa said. "As long as you apologise and promise not to do it again."

"I really am very sorry Charlie and Miss Hogan," he said very earnestly. "I really really really really really am and I promise, I won't ever do it again."

"Then I accept your apology, VJ," Ailsa said. "And I'll hold you to your promise."

"As do I," said Charlie. "However, I don't think it fair that Miss Hogan be made to clean up this mess," she said pointedly to VJ.

"I'll do it," he quickly responded.

"You know, it would be a lot quicker if you get your buddies back here to help you clean up."

"I can do it myself."

"Nice try," Joey whispered to her wife.

"Thought it was worth a shot," she whispered back. Unfortunately, given peer pressure, even at that age, getting kids to turn on each other could be very hard work and at times, impossible.

"Come with me then," Ailsa said to VJ. "And I'll get you started."

"Leah, there's only a couple of charters booked for the boat this week," Joey said. "So I can help you out with some shifts until Colleen and Irene are back on board," she offered. "That is, if you need a hand."

"That'd be great Joey," she said. "I have a couple of part timers, but they can only work after school, so any help during the day would be a godsend."

"I'll speak to Aden and get more of an idea of when I'm available," Joey told her. "Then I'll get back to you."

"Thanks Joey." She shook her head sadly when VJ returned with a bucket, sponge and mop. "I hope he doesn't make this a regular thing," she said. "I'm not sure I could handle a kid going off the rails."

"He's hardly heading off the rails," Charlie told her. "And after today, I don't think he's going to be rushing into more trouble any time soon."

Leah studied her friend's appearance for the first time then. "I really am sorry about that, Charlie," she said. "If you send your clothes over, I'll get that flour out and have them as good as new."

"I wouldn't bother, Leah," she replied. "It's only a tank top and not worth the effort. In fact, I think I might just toss it out when we get home."

"She just doesn't want to be reminded of earlier," Joey added.

"Oh, what happened earlier?"

"We went for a dip in our clothes and," the rest was mumbled behind Charlie's hand.

"No need for details, dear," Charlie told her. "Unless you want a reminder of your own unexpected dip the other day."

Joey put her thumbs up in agreement, while Leah chuckled at their antics.

* * *

><p>"I keep forgetting that I'm sore and hurt whenever you're holding me," Georgie murmured with a touch of pain after she'd twisted the wrong way. "Because all I usually feel is your touch."<p>

"I'm more than happy to be the cause of pain relief for you," she replied. "But please, be careful. You're still so fragile."

"Weak you mean."

"No, fragile," Bianca said assertively. "As in your body took a hell of a pounding in that accident and you need time to heal properly."

Georgie smiled at her then. "Has anyone told you how sexy you are when you get all fired up like that?"

Bianca grinned at having her own words thrown back at her. "No, but I guess we must make one hell of a sexy couple together then." Her face grew concerned when she watched her girlfriend struggle to sit up. "Have you thought about how you're going to cope on your own with your injuries?"

"I'll manage."

"Georgie, you haven't been out of hospital long and it's going to take time for you to get used to coping with your injuries," Bianca reminded her. "Even dressing and undressing isn't easy for you."

"Well, you've already proven a couple of times before that you're very good at getting me out of my tops."

"And I'll happily help you out of them at any time."

"I bet you are," Georgie said with a smirk.

"I could move in and help you."

Georgie reached out and took one of Bianca's hands in hers. "Bianca, you are my future and I want to spend every waking moment with you, but right now, I feel like I need to learn to be independent, even if it's only for a short time," she said.

"I can understand that." She brushed her lips over the hand in hers. "But you can't do everything on your own and there is no shame in admitting to that," she said. "For starters, how do you intend to shower with a broken arm and sore ribs?"

"Ok, so maybe that is one thing I could have help with," conceded Georgie. "And I know there will be other things, but I have to at least try to cope on my own as much as possible."

Bianca realised then how much Georgie needed to do this, to prove to herself that she was more capable and stronger than she'd ever given herself credit for. Her girlfriend may have come a long way in such a short time, yet years of emotional baggage couldn't just be discarded overnight. It was a work in progress and she'd be there to guide Georgie through it, if and whenever she needed her. "Ok Georgie, just as long as you're not afraid to call me whenever you need help," she told her. "Because I really do want to be there for you."

"Believe me Bianca, if it means you having your hands all over me while helping me out of my clothes or in the shower, then I'll be on that phone in an instant."

Bianca swallowed hard at that image. "You better bloody call."

Chuckling at her girlfriend's reaction, Georgie settled back down against her. "I love this, being this close to you."

"God, you make it hard," she murmured affectionately, while she tried to control her body's reactions to having her girlfriend so close.

They sat there, both feeling utterly content in each other's company. "Just so you know though," Bianca said. "If Jack gets too possessive over keeping the house, you and Romeo are welcome at my home," she told her.

"How would April feel about that?"

"She'll be fine with it," she said. "There's more than enough room. Besides, mum called last night. She's coming back to the country earlier than expected, so April is only going to be with me for another week, so it would just be you, me and Romeo."

"It's a wonderful offer, but I hope it doesn't come to that," Georgie replied. "I really don't want to be uprooting Romeo from his home, not when he's already got so much to deal with."

"Fair enough."

"I do hope though, that when the time is right, you'll move in here with Romeo and me, so that we can be a family."

"I'd love that," she whispered happily. "More than ever, I want to make a family and life with you."

* * *

><p>"Let's get home before that starts to dry any further," Joey said to her wife as she plucked a hardening bit of dough from her hair. They'd stayed at the store to make sure everything was settled, but since everything seemed to be going fine now, they weren't really needed. She plucked another bit out. "I'd best help you out with your little flour problem when we get home."<p>

"Oh and how do you intend to do that?"

"You can sit in the tub while I get you all wet and run my hands through your hair," she whispered in a husky voice that left Charlie shivering in anticipation. "But if worse comes to worse, then we go the buzz cut."

And then just as quickly, that anticipation was doused as Charlie stared at her wife in abject horror. "You are not going anywhere near my head with razors or scissors," she told her. "Not after last time."

"Last time you only lost a little chunk of hair where the chewy got stuck."

"God, kids birthdays are the biggest nightmare," muttered Charlie at the memory of that day. The birthday had been for Shannon's son, Lachie and with a dozen kids 10 and under, it had been an arduous experience for Charlie, so she'd lain down for a moment of relaxation, only to find her hair had picked up an added extra. They'd tried everything, but in the end, Joey had gone the snip. It had been a good thing she'd kept her hair long and so the missing chunk hadn't been all that noticeable. This time though, it wasn't just one, small lone sticky spot, it was much more wide spread, which would make any snipping very noticeable, if it came to that.

"Come on Charlie, I doubt we'll have to resort to anything too drastic this time," Joey assured her when she sensed her continued reservations.

"I still don't like the sound of that," she murmured as she trailed behind her wife and daughter.


	84. Chapter 84

"Mmm, this almost makes it worth being flour bombed," murmured Charlie as she lay with her back against the end of the tub, her eyes closed as her wife ran her fingers through her hair. It felt very much like a relaxing massage and with Ruby falling asleep on the couch as soon as they'd arrived home, there was a peaceful silence in the house. She'd also hidden the scissors and razors from Joey so there was no chance of a buzz cut. "I love sitting in a tub, wet all over, while my wife's loving fingers run through my hair," she told her wife. "I could stay like this forever."

"Not so sure I'm enjoying this as much as you apparently are," muttered Joey and she flung another glob of dough off her fingers. It landed with a soft splat on the edge of the tub. She screwed her nose up at the scene before her. "And if I were you, I wouldn't open your eyes any time soon."

"Why not?"

"Because the tub is full of little doughy floaties bobbing up and down in the water," she replied. "And the side of the tub isn't much better."

"Oh gross," Charlie said. "What happened to the bucket it was meant to go in?"

"Charlie, do you have any idea how sticky the water has made this ick?"

"It's in my hair, so yeah."

"Well, it's coming out of your hair just fine, but getting it from my fingers and then into the bucket is proving somewhat problematic." As another glob missed the bucket, she shook her head. "I should have taken up netball as a kid," she muttered. "And I think we might need to drag a strainer through the water before we pull the plug."

"All of a sudden, I feel less inclined to stay here," said Charlie.

"I've nearly got it all out of your hair," Joey told her. "Then we can jump into the shower and sluice the rest off."

"We?"

"You're not the only one covered in this crap anymore," muttered Joey.

* * *

><p>"This is so much better," Joey happily murmured with her lips pressed to the naked shoulder in front of her as the water fell over them.<p>

"I agree wholeheartedly," an equally happy Charlie said. "You missed a spot," she helpfully informed her.

"Yes ma'am," barked Joey and raised the soapy sponge higher.

"Oooh, yeah, right there," murmured Charlie as the sponge brushed over her nipples. Again and again.

"It might help if I could see what I was doing," muttered Joey, since she was standing behind her wife and reaching around to wash her. It was rather pleasant though, to have her breasts pressed against Charlie's back as she worked her hands over her front. Especially the way her wife would move against her when she hit just the right place.

"You seem to be managing quite well," replied Charlie and in a more teasing tone, she added. "And it's not as if you've ever had any problems going by just your touch before."

"That's with my mouth," Joey whispered right in her ear and Charlie shivered. "And if anything is going in my mouth in this shower, it won't be a soap filled sponge."

"I think I'm wet in all the right places, if that helps any."

"Wet is always good."

"Damn right it is," Charlie said as she spun around suddenly and crushed her lips to Joey's. The sponge fell to the shower floor as Joey gripped her wife's buttocks and pulled her closer.

Their breasts smashed together as their bodies writhed, their tongues duelling for dominance.

Charlie pushed Joey back. "Oomph," moaned Joey when her back met the shower wall with a little too much force.

"Sorry," murmured Charlie. "Do you want me to kiss it better?"

"Kiss me anywhere, I really don't care, as long as your lips are somewhere on my body," gasped Joey when Charlie ducked her head and sucked on her nipple. "Feeling much better already," she groaned and closed her eyes to take a moment to savour the intense sensation of having her nipple flicked and grazed by both tongue and teeth.

Charlie moved to the other nipple, giving it the same lavish attention, before kissing her way upwards, across the glistening skin of her wife. The water was slightly distracting, she thought, but it made her path along that delicious skin so much easier.

Their lips met once more in a powerful lip lock that threatened to leave both women without breath.

"Oh Jesus," murmured Charlie as they came up for air. She rested her forehead against Joey's as they both breathed heavily.

"Why is it that I can never get enough of you?" Joey said. "We've made love so many times, especially over the last two days, yet every time feels as amazing as the last."

"My ego says it's because I'm just so fucking great at pleasuring you, that you can't stop begging for more," quipped Charlie and Joey laughed, making her body brush up and down against hers.

"That head of yours is getting bigger," teased Joey.

"I don't know what it is Joey," she said in all seriousness. "I just know I can't live without you."

"That's the answer right there," Joey said rather sagely.

"Care to share it with me then?"

"We both suffer from a serious case of lovitis."

"Lovitis?"

"It's an affliction that can only be relieved by sex."

"Sounds like an affliction I wouldn't be in too much of a hurry to cure."

"It's about relief, not curing," Joey reminded her. "And the relief is required quite frequently."

"I'm loving this lovitis affliction more and more."

"So am I." She hooked a leg over Charlie's hip. "Care to apply some of that much needed relief to me?"

Needing no further encouragement, Charlie kissed her again and let one of her hands drop between Joey's legs, while the other held Joey's leg to her hip.

"Oh fuck," moaned Joey when her wife's fingers toyed with her, found her ready, then plunged inside her. She hooked her other leg over Charlie's hip and circled them around her wife's waist, opening herself completely to Charlie's touch.

Charlie pressed Joey hard against the wall to stop her from falling, but also so she could thrust her own body into hers, harder and faster, in time to her hand and fingers, each movement sending Joey into raptures.

Joey's panting echoed around the bathroom. Growing louder and more ragged as her wife filled her up. Her back slid up and down the slick shower wall as she bounced to the rhythm of her wife's thrusts. "Fuck, yes!" she screamed as she came hard. Charlie nearly lost her stance as Joey's body writhed powerfully against hers in the throes of her climax.

"Joey, I can't hold you much longer," she warned her and she had to move both hands to Joey's bum and press her harder against the wall to keep them both upright.

"I don't think I can stand," groaned Joey as her body continued to buck slightly in the aftermath of her orgasm.

"Then we're going to end up in an embarrassing heap," murmured Charlie.

"As long as I'm on top," Joey said, not caring for much beyond the way her body was feeling right then.

"Ok, I warned you."

Luckily, it wasn't a painful fall into a heap, but it was ungainly. Now, lying flat on her back with her wife's legs tangled with hers as Joey lay half on top of her, Charlie felt oddly content. Not even the water pouring over them made her want to move. 10 seconds later, her opinion was changing. She shivered. "I think we just ran out of our hot water," she muttered. "And now the floor is getting cold," she complained.

"I'd heat you up, but I'm well and truly too fucked to move right now."

Charlie chuckled. "My head just got so much bigger right then," she said.

* * *

><p>"Romeo hasn't spent much time out of his room since Jack left," murmured Georgie as she put her empty cup in the sink.<p>

Bianca came and stood behind her, wrapping her arms around her waist. Georgie closed her eyes and leant back against her, allowing herself a moment to just revel in the feel of being in her arms once more. Earlier, it had felt like Bianca had been gone forever when she had gone back to her place for a few hours, before returning here. It was almost torture to not be around her and that shocked her. It was scary to love someone so much, yet she also loved it, because she now truly believed Bianca felt the same. Bianca didn't even have to say the words, it was in her touch, in her gaze, in everything about the way she treated her. Georgie felt spoilt and truly loved for the first time in her life and it almost had her flying on the clouds, despite her still stressing over Jack and her son. Bianca was definitely an amazing distraction.

"He came out to join us for tea, then stayed and watched a bit of telly with us afterward," Bianca pointed out. "That's a good sign that he's not completely shutting himself away."

"I suppose." She smiled a little then. "I am kind of glad that he didn't seem to mind you joining us."

"Because I came bearing very sickly desserts," replied Bianca with a grin.

"Very nicely appreciated desserts as well, so thank you for that."

"My pleasure." She snuggled a little closer to her. "I also think Romeo realises that I'm here to help you, so it makes it easier for him to accept me being here and us being a couple."

"Help me out of my clothes, you mean," joked Georgie.

"Oh most certainly," she purred. "Especially if I have any say in the matter."

"This might be the first shower I've ever looked forward to having so much," Georgie said with a shiver of anticipation.

"And we can take as long as you need in there, since April is already taken care of for the rest of the night and so I don't need to rush home any time soon," she told her.

"You know, you could have brought her around with you when you came back here."

"I did suggest that to her, because I really want her to get to know you properly," said Bianca. "But now that she's not going to be staying with me for much longer, she wants to spend as much time with her friends as she can, before she has to leave, so she's pretty much planned sleepovers for every night of the next week."

Georgie smiled at her over her shoulder. "Why do I get the feeling that makes you very happy?"

"Oh, I don't know," murmured Bianca. "Maybe because it means I'm free to offer you my undivided attention," she told her. "And to provide my very willing services to you as cook, personal washer, clothes dresser and undresser and putter to bedder."

"Putter to bedder?" laughed Georgie. "And here I was thinking you were a highly trained teacher."

"I assure you, Georgie, that I'm highly trained in a lot of things and I'm looking forward to educating you into the intimate pleasures of being with a woman," Bianca said in a low, husky voice that had Georgie's blood boiling. If her words and look did this to her, how was she going to survive when they finally made love? She'd barely survived their make out moments up to this stage, as it was.

She squeezed her eyes shut as their few moments of exquisite intimacy came flooding back to her. Bianca's lips on her naked skin, the feel of their nipples brushing against each other, the way Bianca's naked breasts had felt in her hands for that first time. The touches had been fleeting and hadn't gone any further than that, yet they'd left an indelible memory on her soul, that threatened to make her lose control just by thinking about it. Such was the strength of her desire and feelings, she was starting to believe that the full real deal was likely going to kill her and she couldn't wait until that moment came, when they made love for the very first time.

"Oh dear lord," Georgie said, her accompanying groan filled with such need, that she heard Bianca's breath catch and felt her arms tighten around her waist. "Bianca, I think I'm ready for my shower," she whispered, feeling a sudden need for a very cold one. "Like right now."


	85. Chapter 85

The morning sun was shining through the closed blind and Charlie smiled as she lay on her side, gazing upon her sleeping wife. Most times when she wanted to sleep in, that sunlight would always annoy her and she'd think of getting a thicker blind to keep more light out, yet on mornings like this, she knew why neither of them changed things. The effect of the sunlight was to bathe Joey in a soft glow, making her appear even more content and peaceful than she usually did as she slept. Not to mention incredibly cute. It was almost a shame to wake her, she thought, as she reached out with her hand. Of course she didn't have to wake her. She could let Joey sleep in since it was only herself that really needed to get up and start getting ready for work this early.

Her hand hovered mere centimetres from Joey's nose, not yet fully decided on her next course of action. Wake her up or let her sleep and then crawl carefully out of bed without disturbing her. Sometimes decision-making was hard and she grinned at her internal discussion. So Charlie, what was it to be, she asked herself. A wife seeking payback wouldn't hesitate to disturb her spouse's sleep, while a considerate wife would resist temptation and let her spouse carry on sleeping. That pretty much decided it for her.

Charlie let her hand move forward.

"Don't even think about it," Joey warned her.

"Jesus," yelped Charlie in startlement at the unexpected voice and snatched her hand back.

Joey's eyes were still closed, but a grin was breaking out across her features. Charlie's eyes narrowed into a scowl. "How long have you been awake?"

"A while." Her eyes fluttered open and as always happened, Charlie fell into them. Even filled with sleep, her wife really did have captivating eyes. She could stare into them forever and was in danger of doing just that, til she remembered she was meant to be scowling at her wife.

"So you've just been lying there this whole time and pretending to be asleep?" Charlie accused her.

Joey nodded. "'cos I knew you wouldn't be able to resist annoying me awake."

"I was merely going to wake you up to ask if you wanted brekkie, since I was planning on making some," Charlie said with the right amount of indignation reflected in her tone at her wife's insinuation. "But you obviously don't appreciate my efforts, so in future, I'll try and remember not to be such a thoughtful wife," she huffily said.

"God, you are so full of shit," chuckled Joey and Charlie grinned in reply. "This brekkie you were planning to make," she said. "Was it going to require actual making and cooking or just pouring cereal and milk into a bowl?"

"Cereal and milk of course," she replied. "I did intend to add toast, which would require actual cooking," Charlie pointed out to her wife.

"Well, yes it does," said Joey. "You pick up a slice of bread, put said slice of bread into the toaster, push down a button and then wait till it pops up. That is very cheffy of you," she drawled. "You should try out for Masterchef."

Charlie sighed dramatically and placed her hand over her heart, feigning pain. "Oh, how you mock and ridicule me."

"That's because you're so easy."

Before she knew it, Charlie was on her back and her wife straddling her waist, her arms pinned to her side. "Joey, don't go getting any ideas in that mischievous head of yours about starting anything," she warned her. "I've got to start getting ready for work in a minute."

"You are such a spoil sport at times," huffed Joey and she rolled off her.

"It's your own fault," Charlie told her as she threw back the covers and climbed out of bed.

Joey propped herself up on her elbows, watching as her wife gathered up her clothing. "Oh and just how is it my fault?"

"Instead of pretending to be asleep for all that time," Charlie replied. "We could have used that time to get some more loving happening."

Now it was Joey's turn to scowl at her wife. Laughing at her response, Charlie heading to the bathroom, feeling rather pleased with herself to have turned it back onto Joey. It was a small victory, but a victory nonetheless. One she'd cherish, since they happened so rarely against her cheeky wife. God help them though, if their daughter grew up to be anything like her mother, she suddenly thought. She was going to be even more of a handful. It almost made her feel sorry for any boy or girl who tried to capture her heart. Almost, because anyone who dared tried to date their daughter was in for an inquisition unlike any other, even more brutal than those Ruby liked to subject them too. "Try not to think of Ruby dating," she told herself as she closed the bathroom door behind her. That remained both her and Joey's greatest impending nightmare. Ruby as a teenager who wanted to date. Oh the horror.

* * *

><p>Georgie smiled in happiness as their naked bodies basked in the morning light. She had never felt anything like this before as she lay there by Bianca's side. Last night had been amazing and even now, hours later, her body still felt so alive. Bianca had touched her in a way no one ever had and she wasn't talking about just with her hands and mouth.<p>

It had all started out innocently enough when Bianca had assisted her with showering. Despite how turned on she'd been at the time, she'd been amazed at how relaxed she was able to stay, not the least bit self-conscious to be standing completely naked in front of Bianca for the first time. It probably helped that Bianca had been more nervous than she had and could barely look at her, choosing instead, to keep her gaze fixed squarely on the task at hand; washing her hair. Afterward, they'd then settled in front of the telly, sipping hot chocolate and making a start on the dozens of chocolates she had accumulated during her hospital stay. She'd loved sitting there with Bianca, not really paying much attention to the movie, just revelling in being with her girlfriend.

Then when it came time to go to bed, things had become a little heated. It had just been a good night kiss after Bianca had helped her into her nightgown, before she intended to go home. A brief, brush of the lips. Then it had deepened and before either woman had realised what was happening, they were naked and on the bed, hands and lips exploring highly sensitised skin. For Georgie, their previous make out sessions had been mere previews of what was to come, yet still hadn't really prepared her for the moment when she made love to a woman for the very first time. Georgie doubted she'd ever forget one moment of last night, with every stroke of Bianca's fingers and tongue and caress of her lips over her naked body, permanently imprinted on her memory, as were the incredible feelings those touches had invoked.

"Good morning," Bianca murmured, greeting her girlfriend with a soft kiss. "How are you feeling this morning?"

"Absolutely wonderful," she replied with a huge smile for her girlfriend. "I feel like I could fly."

"Same here." Bianca had made love with plenty of women over the years, but there had been something special and incredible about this time. It had proven beyond doubt, that Georgie was her one and only. "I really hadn't quite planned on last night happening quite like this though," she said and she caressed Georgie's cheek. "I hadn't wanted to rush you into this."

"I know we still have a lot to deal with and all, but when something feels this wonderful, then it had to have been the right time."

"No regrets then?" Bianca murmured against the naked shoulder in front of her.

"Only that I waited this long to discover what I'd been missing my whole adult life," Georgie said with a dreamy sigh. "I never knew making love could be so incredibly amazing." Her lack of enjoyment with Jack was no reflection on him, it was just that he was a man and she now understood just how much she had needed a woman's touch. And last night, Bianca had possessed the key to unlock that part of her and she'd be forever grateful for that.

"Oh my love," whispered Bianca. "If you think last night was amazing, then you'll be pleased to know that it gets so much better."

"Really?"

Bianca tried not to laugh at the starry-eyed anticipation in her lover's eyes.

"Your injuries hampered things a little, so I had to take things easy."

"What injuries," she said. "I barely felt anything except for your touch and the feel of you inside me, not just literally inside me, which I'm not sure I could ever describe just how truly magical that felt, but deep inside my heart." She smiled wistfully. "I think I even saw stars when I came each time."

Bianca beamed. "When you're 100%, I will have you seeing more than stars."

"Promise?"

"Promise." She kissed her again, then bent down and kissed her belly. "I'm kind of looking forward to you having a baby bump," she said. "All the more skin to kiss."

"Then you'll appreciate my breasts even more than you did last night, since they'll be growing right along with my belly," Georgie found herself saying the words she never expected to come out of her own mouth. She just felt so embolden to say such things with Bianca.

"All my Christmas's are coming at once," teased Bianca. "But this is one gift I'm going to have to put on hold for the moment. I should be getting home," she murmured reluctantly. "I need to change my clothes before I head to school." And get out of here before Romeo discovered his teacher au natural and in bed with his mother. He might seem fine with them being together, but he already had more than enough to deal with for the time being, without adding a naked teacher into the mix.

* * *

><p>"Ok, thanks Aden," Joey said and she put the phone down.<p>

"Everything cleared now for you to help Leah out at the Diner?"

"Yep," she replied. "Aden has three bookings this week that I can easily work around. There will still be a few hours that Leah will be on her own, but its far less than she's been having to deal with lately," Joey told her. "And Colleen and Irene should be back on board by week's end, so Leah should be able to get some well earned time off."

"Joey, you're such a good friend to be doing this for Leah."

"I'm just glad I can do something to help out," she said. "Perhaps when things have settled back into more of a normal routine, we should arrange another girl's night out with Georgie, Bianca and Leah."

"Another girl's night out would certainly be a bit different this time around, since Georgie and Bianca have finally admitted their feelings to one another," mused Charlie.

"Oh god, the way Bianca practically drooled over Georgie that night," Joey said with a chuckle.

"And Georgie's reactions certainly make more sense now," Charlie said. "Especially toward Shannon. She was actually quite rude to her, which seemed so out of character for Georgie."

"That's because we now know that it was the green eyed monster speaking," said Joey. "So what do you think about organising another girl's night for some time next week?"

"I think it's a great idea, but I'm not so sure if Georgie and Bianca will be up for it," replied Charlie. "Aside from her injuries, Georgie's got a lot of other things to deal with at the moment, like ending her marriage to Jack and telling him about Bianca."

"Now that they've committed to each other, those two want to be together so badly, I'm almost certain Georgie won't waste too much time in telling Jack," said Joey. "I guess though, even once she's done that, it doesn't necessarily mean Georgie and Bianca will be ready to be so public about their relationship."

"No it doesn't," Charlie said. "We're talking about a broken marriage here with a kid involved and though neither Jack nor Georgie are entirely innocent in this, it is still a toss up as to how others will react and whether or not they'll take sides."

"Personally, I think Leah and Peter are open-minded enough that they won't have too much of a problem with any of them, especially once they see how happy those two love birds are and know about Jack and Martha," Joey said. "They'll be able to see that ending the marriage was probably for the best for all involved, though Peter might not be too happy about the problems it might cause at work."

"Yeah, I'm not looking forward to that part either, even more so with Shauna thrown into the mix," Charlie said. "One thing in all of this is certain and that is, Georgie and Bianca are in for a bumpy ride."

"All the more reason for their friends to be there for them," said Joey.

"More like any excuse for a piss up, hey."

"That too," Joey said with a grin.

"Give it a few days to see where everyone is at, then we can suggest having a girl's night here to the others," Charlie said. She brushed her lips over Joey's. "Now finish your toast before it gets cold."

"Yes Chef."

Chuckling, Charlie kissed her again, before heading off to work.


	86. Chapter 86

"I wanted you for myself for a long time Jack," Martha said as she stood in her doorway, once more denying him entry. "It was why I kept at you to end your marriage so we could be together."

"And now we can be together," Jack said.

"Yeah, only because it was your wife who actually had the balls to end your marriage," she snidely said. "You dumped me Jack, then you come running back saying you're free and expect me to just throw my hands up in the air and scream hallelujah," she said accusingly. "Well I can't do that, because all I can think about was how much it hurt when you left me." She shook her head sadly. "I get you had to put your family first when Georgie was in the hospital, but we could have still kept seeing each other when things got better, but no, you chose to make me feel like I was nothing more than a bed sport for you and was only there for you because she supposedly never was," she said. "You even made me believe I was the only one you were having sex with Jack, but that was obviously a lie."

"I never lied to you about Georgie," he argued. "She hasn't been there for me as a wife for a good long time."

"Then explain to me Jack, how a woman you claimed was a dried up prude who wouldn't pry her legs open for you, somehow ended up pregnant with your baby?"

"It was a once off and that night surprised me as much as you."

"I doubt that," she muttered. "You know I can't have kids Jack, so you knocking up your dried up prude of a lesbian wife is just that extra kick in the guts to me."

"I didn't plan any of this," he said. "The accident, the baby, her being a dyke, none of it," he complained. "I feel like I've been duped by her this whole time."

"Oh stop with the woe is me bullshit," she said condescendingly. "You could have ending things with Georgie long ago, but you wanted it all. The wife, the kid, the mistress on the side, all there to feed your ego."

"That's not true at all," he snapped. "I only stayed with Georgie because of my son."

"He's still your son, whether you're under the same roof or not," she fired back. "Romeo was nothing more than an excuse for you being too gutless to man up and do the right thing by all of us." She sniggered at him then. "The way you'd bitch and moan about how weak your wife was, yet it turns out she was the strong one in the family." She took a step toward him. "What was I to you Jack? Just a convenient fuck buddy because your wife was no longer interested in cock? And now that she's thrown you out, you spend one night in a hotel room and then you want to move in with me. Is that it?"

"I want to be with you because I love you."

"No, you want to be with me because you have nowhere else to go."

"That's not true."

"Take a good hard look at yourself Jack and then tell me why I should believe you and let you into my life again?"

She started to close the door in his face once more, but he stuck his hand out to stop it.

"Martha, please give me another chance," he begged. "I love you."

"Then answer me this honestly," she said. "If Georgie hadn't left you, would you be on my doorstep begging me like this or would you be at home, tending to your pregnant wife's every needs and doing your best to make your marriage work?" She scowled at him when he remained silent. "That look on your face says it all. I put up with being your bit on the side because I genuinely believed you'd eventually leave her for me, but that didn't happen and I refuse to play second fiddle anymore."

"But you aren't second fiddle," he told her.

"I will be the moment she drops your new, squalling brat in your lap," she snapped. "You have other responsibilities now Jack and just like always, I'm not at the top of your list. Now fuck off and leave me alone."

Defeated, he let her slam the door on him. Possibly for the last time.

* * *

><p>Charlie walked into the tearoom, breathing a sigh of relief in getting away from the tension-filled pall that had fallen over the Station, even if it was only for a short break. Jack's mood was like an oppressive blanket over everyone, dragging them all down. He hadn't said much, just grumped his way through the morning. She knew what was behind his mood though. Georgie must have spoken to him.<p>

"Getting away from Mr Doom and Gloom?" Shauna asked and Charlie jumped slightly. She'd been so lost in her thoughts, she hadn't noticed that the room was already occupied.

"Something like that," she murmured in response.

"I heard some of the guys saying that Jack's marriage is on the rocks," said Shauna. "At least, that's the rumour going around."

"Thought you didn't like rumours," Charlie said. Her tone was harsher than she intended, but Shauna just seemed to shrug it off.

"Maybe it's just a nice change not to be the topic of those rumours," she said.

Her expression as she said that, reminded Charlie once more, just how the rumour mill really had affected Shauna. Gone was the bubbly and flirty personality who had first rocked up to the Bay. In her place, was a rather moody woman who often had a dullness to her once usually bright eyes. Since her slip up the other day, Shauna had been doing her work in a professional manner, yet she was clearly unhappy and a little bit distracted. It was like she was just going through the motions each day. Of course, it wasn't just the rumours flying around that she had to deal with lately.

"It's pretty obvious Jack's marriage isn't just on the rocks, it's over," said Shauna. "And given what I know, I can guess as to why."

Charlie met Shauna's intense gaze. Ever since Bianca had mentioned to her that Shauna knew about her and Georgie, Charlie had known this moment would come and now, Shauna was practically daring her to reveal what she knew. She said nothing though.

"With you being friends with the wife and all, you'd know all about it too, right?" Shauna said, now verbally issuing the challenge.

"I haven't actually spoken to Georgie for a couple of days."

Shauna crossed her arms over her chest and leant against the counter. "It's Jack that I kind of feel sorry for," she carried on. "The poor bastard had no idea what his wife was up to."

"There's more to this than you realise," Charlie said, not really wanting to be drawn into commenting too much.

"Yeah, I got that feeling from Bianca last time I spoke to her." She shrugged. "It doesn't change anything though. At least not for me." She shrugged again. "I wanted Bianca, she wanted someone else. My own fault really. Bianca made it known early on she wasn't interested in a relationship," she said. "I just wished she'd told me she preferred married women, then maybe I wouldn't have wasted my time falling for her."

"Bianca never meant to hurt you," Charlie said. "And she does wish things had turned out differently."

"I doubt it," she muttered. "Especially now when it looks like she's getting exactly what she wanted."

"Shauna, these people are my friends, so perhaps I'm not the best person you should be gossiping to about them."

"Yeah, I'm sorry, I just." She sighed heavily. "I guess I'm just kind of in a bitchy mood these days."

"How are you doing?" Charlie asked. "With your wrist and everything else?"

"The wrist is fine, but with the rest, it sometimes feels like I'm barely coping," she murmured. "I'm not a weak person Charlie, but that is exactly how I'm feeling lately. I knew coming face to face with my father would be hard, but with everything else piled on top, it just feels like it's all too much."

"Have you tried talking to Alf?"

"Mum has and seems more at peace now than I've ever seen here," Shauna said. "But it's not that easy for me," she murmured. "I was taken from mum when I was a baby and adopted by the Bradleys. When they died, I got bounced around in the Foster system for awhile, then mum came and got me. By then though, I'd grown pretty disillusioned about a lot of things and after what I heard mum had gone through from the moment she got pregnant, I channelled all that anger and resentment that had been growing inside of me and aimed it at one target."

"Alf."

Shauna nodded. "It's built up over the years and now that I've come face-to-face with him, it's brought it all back."

There was a haunted look in her eyes as she spoke that told Charlie there was more behind this, but she didn't press the issue. This was neither the place nor the time for it.

"I should never have accepted this posting," Shauna said. "But I wanted to move closer to mum, because I knew coming back here wouldn't be easy for her. Now though, with Alf, Bianca and such, I wish I hadn't come."

"Are you still thinking of leaving once your secondment here is over?" asked Charlie.

"Maybe even before then," she replied. "I know it might not look great on my record if I have requested a transfer from a temporary posting for personal reasons, but I honestly don't know how much longer I can go on like this."

"I realise things are tough at the moment," said Charlie. "But don't make any rash decisions," she advised. "Try to ride it out and if you need to, you can talk to me outside of work if you think it'll help."

"Thanks Charlie, but the fact you're offering just shows how depressing my life is right now," she said. "I don't even have friends here I can go to talk to, just my mum and a colleague."

"I can be your friend as well Shauna and Bianca would still like to be your friend."

"That's a little too awkward at the moment," murmured Shauna. "And I'm not sure her new girlfriend would like the ex hanging around." She looked at Charlie. "Besides, as you said before, they're your friends and it's wrong for me to bitch on about Bianca to you, not to mention that you're my senior officer and I don't know you well enough to really feel comfortable talking about personal stuff."

"I'm sorry it's not working out here for you," Charlie said. "All I can say is, try to focus on your work and see how things go before you make any decisions about your future."

"I'll take that under advisement."

* * *

><p>"Well, the hard part in telling them is finally over and done with," Georgie said to Joey as they sat in Georgie's kitchen having morning tea. "And now that I have ended my marriage and come out to both Jack and our son, it's onto the next stage," she said. "Finding some arrangement with Jack that doesn't involve us shouting at each other and having Romeo caught in the middle."<p>

"Once emotions have settled down a little, Jack might be a bit more reasonable."

"Unlikely and it's not just him who has been unreasonable," she said. "I've dropped a few big bombs on him in the last couple of days and then practically told him how things are going to be from now on."

"You're just standing up for yourself."

"Which is kind of a strange feeling." She smiled shyly at Joey. "I'm not used to any of this Joey and I seem to have found a strength I never knew existed," she admitted. "Maybe it's because I'm fighting for my son and for Bianca, I don't really know, but it's like I'm a different person. In the past, I always put my own needs and feelings last and just tried to be the dutiful daughter, then the dutiful wife and now, everything is changing. My marriage is over and my husband is extremely pissed at me, yet I couldn't be happier. Is that weird?"

"Not at all," replied Joey. "Georgie, you're just finally realising that you deserve as much happiness as everyone else does and now that you've found it, you're not willing to let it go and you shouldn't," she said. "You deserve this Georgie and I think Bianca is one lucky woman to have found you."

"I'm the lucky one," Georgie said. "Besides my son, I never thought it possible to love someone as much as I love Bianca and I'm beginning to discover there is a whole life of experiences out there that I'd been denying to myself, because I was too afraid to accept who I was," she said. "And last night just reinforced to me that I'd been missing out on so much."

"Oh and what happened last night?" Joey casually asked. From the giddily grinning expression Georgie had had plastered across her face when she had answered the door to her this morning, Joey had a pretty good idea of what had happened last night, since she'd worn a similar look after her first time with Charlie. Her friend's facial reaction to her question all but confirmed it, but she couldn't resist a gentle teasing of, "Or do I even have to guess as to why?"

Georgie's face went even redder. "We made love," she murmured and then her eyes brightened and she was beaming. "And it was the most amazing experience I've ever had. Joey, I had no idea sex with a woman could be so mind blowing."

Joey chuckled at her friend's dreamy look and excitement. "Hey, you're preaching to the choir here."

"I honestly never had a clue before last night, that making love could be so truly magical, Joey," she said. "Or that my body was even capable of feeling like it could fly."

"I'd get used to feeling like that if I were you, because I think Bianca is going to show you exactly what you've been missing out on."

"So she's promised," Georgie said. "It's made me wonder though. How different my life could have been if I'd found someone like Bianca in high school."

"You've found her now and that is all that matters."

"Yeah it is," she said.

"And personally, I'm glad you guys have found each other and now have a chance to truly be happy."

"Oh god Joey, I already am so incredibly happy and when Bianca moves in, we're going to be a family and my heart just bursts at the thought of spending every day with her."

"And every night and every morning, lying in each other's arms," Joey said. "Amongst other things."

"That too," Georgie said with another blush that Joey was starting to find rather adorable. Her friend was like a little kid discovering a whole new world and she was beginning to blossom before their eyes.

"So is Bianca moving in then?" she asked.

"Not just yet," Georgie said. "As much as I want to be with Bianca, moving in together straight away is a little too fast for me," she said. "I've never really been on my own and I want a chance to prove I can do that and to build my relationship with Bianca separately from that."

"What about your injuries, will you be able to cope on your own?"

"I'll manage and Bianca has offered to help with some things."

"Let me guess, it involves clothes and removal of said clothes."

Georgie blushed once again. "And showers," she added.

"Figures." Joey grinned at her. She gave them a week at most, before Bianca was living with Georgie, because there was no way they were going to be able to keep their distance from each other now that there was no Jack in the way. Her eyes caught her watch face. "Shit, I better be going to work or Leah might fire me before I even start."

"Leah?" Georgie said. "I thought you worked for Aden."

"I do, but Leah is a bit short staffed at the moment, so I'm helping cover a few shifts there in between my other work," she explained. "Georgie, why don't you come by the diner around 1 o'clock," she suggested. "I have my lunch break then and we can talk more over lunch."

Georgie hesitated. She had no idea if Jack had started telling people yet and since the Diner always ended up as a den for the latest gossip to be spread, she could be walking right into the thick of it all.

"I can call just beforehand and give you the heads up on the situation there, if you'd like," Joey said as she guessed the reason for her friend's hesitance.

"Thanks Joey," she said. "But this is something I'm going to have to get used to though, so there's probably little point in running and hiding." She shrugged. "Besides, people might not know yet anyway."

"I'll see you around 1 then?"

She nodded and then hoped she didn't chicken out.


	87. Chapter 87

"That's enough Jack!" Peter's voice reverberated throughout the station. Then in a more controlled and quieter voice, he said. "This is a police station, not a playground for sulky school boys intent on picking fights with everybody and if you can't act like a professional, then you're not in a fit state to be here."

For a moment, Charlie thought Jack was going to argue back, yet he held his tongue. Which was a good thing. Peter had been lenient all morning to Jack's behaviour, until it got intolerable when Jack had snapped at a woman who'd come in to make a complaint about her neighbour making too much noise with his chainsaw and called her a petty woman who was wasting their time with trivial matters. After Peter had soothed the situation over and sent the woman on her way with Avery, he'd rounded on Jack.

"I realise your having personal problems Jack," Peter said. "But you don't bring it into the Station."

"Personal problems," he sneered. "My fucking wife has kicked me out because she reckons she's a damn."

"Jack," Charlie stepped in before he said too much. "Perhaps this isn't the place to be airing your grievances just now."

"Grievances?" he sarcastically said.

"Jack, zip it," ordered Peter. "Or go home."

"What home," he muttered. His whole world had collapsed around him and now he had nothing. Even his son had chosen his mother over him. And Martha? Nothing he said seemed to get through to her and she seemed pretty set on keeping him at a distance. He wished now, he had chosen to be selfish in keeping her in his life instead of throwing it all away on his bitch of a wife. He winced at the anger he felt toward Georgie. It wasn't like him. In truth, he loved his wife still. Maybe it wasn't the same love he felt for Martha, but it was love and he felt bad for hating her so much right now, yet at the same time, he couldn't help himself. It was her fault for having led him on for so long.

"Peter, I know what is going on," Charlie whispered to him. Joey had called her and confirmed what she'd already suspected; Georgie had ended their marriage. Charlie was somewhat understanding of the shock Jack must be feeling at this time, after all, learning your wife was leaving you was hard enough, but then learning your wife was leaving you for another woman? Well, that really had to hurt a guy's ego. Sure, the guy had been cheating on his wife, yet that still wouldn't diminish the shock at finding out the woman he'd known for so long, was a lesbian. However, understanding his situation didn't mean his behaviour should be allowed to continue on as it was. "I'll deal with him, Peter."

Peter nodded. "You do that," he said. "And you can tell him that if he doesn't calm down and start acting like a police officer, I will send him home and put it in his record that it was for unprofessional conduct."

"Jack, come with me," Charlie said and the command in her voice gave him little option, except to follow her to one of the interview rooms where they'd have some privacy.

* * *

><p>"Did you know?" Jack demanded the moment she'd closed the door behind them. He never even gave her time to answer before he was shouting out, "That my wife is a fucking dyke!"<p>

"Keep your voice down," Charlie hissed at him.

"Why?" he said just as loudly. "I think everyone deserves to know what a two-faced cow she is."

"Georgie is not two-faced, nor is she a cow." Jesus, first Shauna, now this. This really was proving to be a heavy day, not that she had expected any less. Both her and Joey had discussed numerous times the problems this mess could cause at work and today, she was getting a firsthand viewing.

"She damn well is," he snapped. "Pretending to be my wife while lusting after women behind my back."

"Accepting one's sexuality doesn't always come easily," she told him. "And for someone like Georgie, it's been particularly hard and has taken her a long time to accept."

He scoffed at that. "You must have been having a good old laugh at my expense."

"It wasn't like that."

"So you did know about her then, right?"

She nodded. "Sometimes I wish I didn't, because being caught in the middle of all of this isn't always a nice place to be."

"Neither is being the duped husband."

"Jack, do you really want to try to play the duped husband card with me?" Charlie said quietly.

Jack stared at her for a moment, seeing something in her face, before sighing heavily. "You know about Martha," he muttered.

"Joey saw the both of you leaving the loos one night. She didn't say anything to me straight away in case she was wrong, but I have known for some time."

'You never said anything."

"Like I said, being caught in the middle isn't a nice place to be and I don't want to judge anyone in this."

"Charlie, I know I fucked up, but she's carrying my baby now and this was meant to be our chance to make things right," he said to her. "Hell, I even got down on bended knee to ask her to renew our vows."

"Have you considered that ending your marriage is making things right?"

"It doesn't feel very right."

"Jack, from what I understand, yours and Georgie's marriage has been in name only. You'd moved past being husband and wife to each other long ago," she gently pointed out. "And now that Georgie has finally admitted to her true sexuality, there's no going back for her. She's a lesbian, Jack."

"That bloody other woman must have done something to her."

"Think Jack," she said. "Think back over your marriage and Georgie's responses to when it came to intimacy." This really wasn't the sort of discussion they should be having at work, but there was no way Peter or herself, could allow him to continue on with this behaviour and risk him offending anyone else while in that uniform. "Just think Jack and you'll see that Bianca didn't make Georgie gay, because it's always been a part of her, even though she never fully realised it till now."

"I guess her being a frigid cow does make more sense now," he sneeringly said. "No wonder I had to find a real woman who could actually satisfy me."

"Be very careful what you say Jack," she warned him, but he wasn't really listening.

"How could she do this to me Charlie?" he whined. "Fucking some guy would be humiliating enough, but a woman?" he said. "She's going to make me a fucking laughing stock."

Charlie was really struggling to stay neutral right now, with the way he was carrying on. "Jack, how do you think your own behaviour has made Georgie feel?" she said.

"Well, if she really is gay, then she would have been relieved I didn't expect sex with my wife every night," he snapped.

"Jack, I really don't want to take sides, but you're being ridiculous here with your hypocrisy."

He just stared at her. "Why the hell am I talking to you about this?" he said. "You're one of them, so of course you'll all side together."

"One of them?" she said in a low, threatening voice that carried so much chill in it, Jack nearly shivered.

Realising he'd stepped over the line with the wrong person, he quickly apologised. "I'm sorry Charlie, this has all thrown me through a loop and I'm not quite myself," he said. "So much has happened and so quickly, that I feel like I'm losing touch with everything," he told her. "First with the baby, then Georgie telling me it's over for us and then the biggest whammy of all, that she is a fucking dyke."

"Jack, do yourself a favour and stop calling her a dyke."

"Fine, lesbian."

He made it sound like it was some awful thing, which pissed off Charlie even further. The jerk was damn lucky they were in uniform for this conversation, otherwise it could have gone very differently. As it was, she needed to maintain professionalism, even if he couldn't. "Jack, I get that you're shocked, angry and upset, but that's no excuse for being insulting."

"You're right and I really am sorry," he said. "I don't want to be like this, it's just that I can't seem to stop myself right now."

"I'd try a little harder if I were you."

He nodded, then leant against the wall. "It's all falling apart Charlie," he said. "I was raised in a loving family and taught that a family belongs together, no matter what, yet I can't even save my marriage."

"Jack, sometimes ending a marriage is the best option for all involved," she said.

"Yeah, I know that, but this is different."

"How?"

"Because I don't want some dy…" He caught himself before he finished that, then started again. "I don't want some lesbian raising my kids."

"Why?" Charlie asked, the dangerous chill in her voice making Jack once more regret his words. "You think a lesbian can't be a good parent?"

"I didn't mean anything by it Charlie, I'm just," he shook his head. "This is just completely doing my head in and I keep saying things I wouldn't normally."

"How do you think Georgie is feeling in all of this?" Charlie asked of him.

"Honestly, at this moment in time, I don't give a fuck about how Georgie is feeling," he muttered. "All I'm worried about is how this is going to affect Romeo and our baby when it's born."

"I'm sure Georgie is worried about the same things."

"If she was, then she'd let Romeo come and live with me."

"Is that what he wants?" From what Joey had said, Georgie had told her that Romeo had made it quite clear that he wanted to stay with her.

"It's what is best for him."

"Is it?"

"I'm his dad."

"And Georgie's his mum," she replied gently. "Jack, wherever you live, you will always be Romeo's father and this baby's father and you must know that Georgie would never stand between you and the kids."

"What about that Bianca woman?" he said. "I don't even know her past her being Romeo's teacher."

"She adores Georgie and she won't hurt her or the kids," Charlie assured him. "And right now, don't you think the best thing for Romeo, is to stay in the place he's most familiar with?"

"I get what you're saying, I really do Charlie," said Jack. "But I can't help but feel that Romeo belongs with me."

"And where would that be?" she asked.

"I was in a hotel last night, but that's going to work out too expensive, so I'm going to stay at the caravan park until I find a place to rent," he replied. "And the moment I get my own place, Romeo is coming to live with me."

"I know you're angry right now Jack, but don't do anything that you'll regret."

"Too late for that," he muttered, thinking of his broken relationship with Martha. "No Charlie, my boy is coming to live with me and nothing will change my mind on that."

Charlie sighed. He certainly seemed very determined on that point and she feared the trouble this was going to cause. Divorces and custody battles could get very ugly and it was the last thing she wanted for either Jack or Georgie. With any luck, in the time it took Jack to find a place, he would calm down and reconsider taking Romeo from his home. She wasn't that hopeful though.

* * *

><p>"It's safe to go inside."<p>

Georgie yelped, not having heard Joey come up behind her. She turned and glared at her grinning friend. "If you didn't have that tray of empty plates and cups in your hand, I'd slap you for doing that to me. God Joey, if this baby was further along, a fright like that could have scared the little bugger into daylight much sooner than expected." That made Joey grin even more. "Charlie must have the patience of a nun to put up with you."

"Nuns wouldn't get up to what we do," Joey replied with a smirk. "Then again," she added with a shrug. "I'm glad to see you here," she said. "I'm nearly ready for my lunch break if you want to come inside and wait."

"It's safe, you say?"

Joey nodded. "I haven't heard one peep about you and Jack from anybody," Joey told her. "Though I should warn you, that when I spoke to Charlie earlier, Jack was grumping his way around at work, so people were starting to talk there, it just hasn't reached the outside world yet," she said, before adding, "It's just about the state of your marriage, not the rest of it."

"For now," murmured Georgie. She was surprised Jack hadn't been shouting it out from the roof tops, then again, maybe he really was too embarrassed to admit his wife was a lesbian. It wouldn't stay secret for much longer though, so she might as well enjoy the anonymity while it lasted, because once she became the infamous lesbian cheater, then being the talk of the town was something she really was going to have to learn to deal with if she wanted to be with Bianca, which she wanted more than anything.

"Come on, I'll shout you a cup of tea while you're waiting for me," Joey said. Georgie smiled at her and then followed her into the Diner.

* * *

><p>"Mmmm," Georgie murmured around a mouthful of tasty pasta Neapolitan. "You made this?" she said to Joey.<p>

Beaming proudly, Joey nodded.

"It's good," Georgie said. "Not as good as Leah's, but it's good nonetheless."

"Since I doubt anyone's could be as good as Leah's, I'll take that as a great compliment."

"It really is good Joey," she said, taking another forkful. "How are you enjoying working here?"

"I'm having a blast," replied Joey. "It's damn hard work, but I'm loving it and it's certainly given me a greater appreciation of Leah and the work she must put into this place to keep it so successful."

"Did I hear my name?" Leah said as she approached their table. "Georgie, are you responsible for stealing away my little worker?"

"Geez boss, I'm entitled to a lunch break," whined Joey and both women grinned at each other.

"See what I have to put up with?" Leah said to Georgie.

"Imagine what Charlie has to deal with," replied Georgie.

"Oh, so we're back onto that, are we?" Joey said.

"Back onto what?" asked Leah.

"An earlier conversation," Georgie said. "Care to join us Leah?"

Leah glanced around the Diner. Everyone was occupied with their meals or their own conversations and there were no customers hovering around the ordering area. "Looks like I might have a couple of minutes free," she said, taking a seat. "Georgie, we haven't had much chance to catch up since you got out of hospital," Leah said. "Or for me to congratulate you on the baby. I meant to call around the moment Peter told me the news after Jack had shared that amazing little fact with him the other day, but I've been so run off my feet here, I never got the chance."

"Yeah, Joey was telling me earlier how busy you've been."

"Hopefully everything will settle down once Irene and Colleen are back on board and then we can celebrate this baby properly with a baby shower," said Leah.

"Oh, I'm not sure I'm really up to having a baby shower just yet," Georgie hesitantly said. "There is a fair bit going on in my life right now."

"Does it have something to do with the fact you're not wearing your wedding ring?" asked Leah.

Georgie looked down at her hand. She had found herself staring at it that morning and though it represented years of commitment and marriage, she'd barely hesitated in taking it off. That part of her life was over now. "It has a lot to do with that," Georgie said. She had a feeling this was going to be one of many such similar conversations. "Jack and I have ended our marriage."

"Oh wow," she murmured. "Is it because of the baby, because Peter said Jack had been knocked for six with the news, but I thought he'd come around since then?"

"It's not about the baby, though admittedly, the baby did come as a bit of a shock to the both of us, but we're both now looking forward to his or hers arrival," Georgie said. "It's just that we won't be together as a married couple when this bub does arrive."

"I guess I'm just in a bit of a shock about your marriage," Leah said. "I had no idea you were even having troubles."

"Truthfully, our marriage has had problems for a long time, yet Jack and I both just ignored all the issues."

"Obviously something other than the baby must have changed then, for you to have ended things now, instead of just carrying on like you apparently had been."

"You could say that," murmured Joey. To Georgie, she gave a supporting squeeze of her arm and a reassuring smile. "You can do this," she whispered to her.

Georgie took a deep breath, before speaking. "You see Leah," she said and began to explain it all to her friend. Leah listened intently, not interrupting and when she saw no censure in Leah's eyes, Georgie became more confident as she spoke.

"Well fuck me dead," murmured Leah when Georgie had finished. Her reaction made Joey chuckle and Georgie smile in wry amusement, since it wasn't quite the response she'd expected. "And you're sure about this?" Leah said. "I mean, with the whole lesbian thing?"

"I'm gay Leah," she replied. "I guess I always have been, but it's only now that I've been willing to accept it."

"And now you love Bianca."

"Very much so."

"Oh wow," she said again. "How did Jack react to all of this when you told him your marriage was over?"

"Not well. I get that he's mad because he believes I've lied to him all these years, but he's acting like it's all my fault, that I'm to blame for everything, even him cheating on me." Georgie winced the moment those words left her mouth.

"Hang on, Jack has someone else as well?"

"Martha."

"Boy, you two really like to complicate matters," Leah muttered.

"Does this change your opinion of me?" Georgie hadn't seen any judgement on Leah's face, but she needed to hear it from her to reassure her.

"Why on earth would any of this make me change my opinion of you?"

"For cheating on my husband."

"It sounds more like you did your best to deny your feelings for Bianca for as long as possible and then decided to end your marriage before taking it further with her, when you so easily could have carried on in secret, so I can't really fault you there," Leah said. "Besides, I've always had the belief that you can't help who you fall in love with," she said. "Did I ever tell you that Peter already had a girlfriend when I first started to realise I was falling for him?"

"No."

"Well he did," she said. "And while I did wait until after he and Amanda had broken up to tell him about my feelings, that whole experience made me better understand, that sometimes when you fall in love, it's not always the best time for everyone involved," Leah explained. "And in this instance, with you realising you are gay, then it makes even more sense that you'd develop feelings for someone other than your husband," she said. "Georgie, all I'm trying to say here is, that I understand the situation you found yourself in and why you had to end your marriage and so no, none of this is going to change my opinion of you. You're my friend and still the same thoughtful and loving woman I've always known."

"Thanks Leah," Georgie said with intense relief and some embarrassment. She'd known Leah for some time, yet it's only really been quite recent, that they've gotten closer and so hearing her say those words was rather unexpected.

"Well, I must say, as surprising as all this is, your decision certainly seems to be agreeing with you," Leah told her. "Because you are looking absolutely radiant today."

To Leah's amusement, Georgie blushed bright red. She raised a brow at Joey, who mouthed the words, "She got lucky with Bianca last night."

Leah chuckled. She had a feeling her friend was discovering some wonderful new experiences. "Well Georgie, if you're happy, then I'm happy," Leah assured her. "And I'm here for you."

"Thanks for the support Leah, because I have a feeling not everyone is going to be pleased about this."

No doubt, thought Leah. She briefly wondered how Shauna felt, since she'd heard the rumours that she and Bianca had spent a night together. It wasn't her place to ask though.

* * *

><p>"Call me if you need anything," Joey told Georgie as she walked her out of the diner after their lunch was over. "Even if it's just to help out around the house with a few things."<p>

"Thanks Joey, but I think between Romeo and me, we can handle it, along with Bianca's help."

"Well yes, I suppose Bianca can provide the type of assistance neither Charlie nor I could," Joey teasingly said.

"Oh, you," Georgie said, slapping her friend lightly on the arm.

"Well it's true, isn't it?"

"Yep, it is," she said. "And after last night, I feel like I can deal with anything, as long as Bianca is by my side."

Joey laughed out loud at that.

"What's so funny?" asked Georgie.

"Oh honey, that woman is not only by your side, she's permanently attached to your hip."

Georgie blushed again, then grinned. "It's so great, isn't it."

"I agree wholeheartedly," said Joey. "Enjoy these feelings Georgie, because they're only going to get better and they'll help get you through anything."


	88. Chapter 88

"Oh, what a day," murmured Charlie as she collapsed onto the couch, her head landing gently onto Joey's lap. She sighed softly when her wife started to massage her temples gently. "First Shauna was in a mood, then I had to speak to Jack when he got pulled up on his behaviour," she said. "There were actually a couple of times there today, where I felt like hurting him."

That said a lot to Joey. Her wife wasn't one to lash out at anyone, so for her to reach the stage where she felt a need to want to hurt someone, then her patience really must have been tested. "He was that bad?"

Charlie nodded. "It was more about some of the things he was saying," she replied. "In particular, there were comments he made about Georgie and lesbians that made my blood boil and if it wasn't for the uniform and us being at work, I may very well have clocked him one."

"Georgie is such a gentle soul," Joey said. "It's hard to believe anyone could say anything bad against her."

"Jack is obviously too angry to be capable of thinking straight right now," Charlie said. "But if he doesn't tone it down at work, then Peter really will have no alternative than to suspend him until he's in a better frame of mind and is able to conduct his duties in a professional manner."

"From the way he's been carrying on," Joey said. "If he ends up suspended, he'd probably blame Georgie for that as well."

"Probably," murmured Charlie. "I do believe he genuinely feels bad about his own behaviour during their marriage and all of this, but his emotions are all over the place after this latest development and so he's taking out his frustration and shock on Georgie and is blaming her for everything, including his own actions and behaviour."

"He'd do well to grow out of that stupidity," muttered Joey.

"That might take time," Charlie said. "And I have to admit, I am a little worried about Jack's determination to try to take Romeo the moment he has his own place."

"Georgie would be totally devastated to lose Romeo."

"I don't think it will ever actually come to that," Charlie said. "Georgie is a good mother, who can provide a loving and supportive environment for her son and there is really no reason for a court to rip Romeo out of his home," she said. "I know Jack loves his son and can also provide a good home for him once he gets his act together, but these days, the courts really do take into account not just what is best for the child, but where the child wants to live, so unless Romeo changes his mind, then I don't think he'll be going anywhere."

"Well, Romeo definitely wants to stay with his mum," Joey said. "That poor kid has had a lot dumped on him lately and he needs stability in his life right now and not to be yanked out of his home, just because his dad's ego has been dented and he now has a bee in his bonnet about lesbians."

"Like I said, I think the court would let Romeo stay if it comes to that, but it's the damage that a bitter custody battle can cause, that I'm more worried about," Charlie explained. "Because, in spite of how their marriage turned out, I honestly believe Jack and Georgie do care for one another and so I'd hate to see them become spiteful and resentful toward each other if it goes to court. That's not in either of their best interests, nor Romeo's."

"As a mother who would go to the ends of the world to be with her daughter, I can certainly understand Jack wanting to be with his son," Joey said. "And I guess I can even understand his shock at finding out the woman he'd been married to for so long, was a lesbian, but I just hope he comes to realise that Georgie is still that same woman. Sure, she's become more assertive and confident in herself lately, yet the person inside is still the same caring and kind woman he married all those years ago."

"I know I've said it before, but I think it all comes down to giving those involved in this time to get used to the changes they're all going to have to deal with and then hopefully, they can talk about whatever arrangements they need to make in a calmer manner."

"I hope so."

"It's just unfortunate for them though, that it's not just the two of them who are going to be doing the talking," Charlie said. "Because by the end of my shift, everyone at the Station had found out and was talking about their marriage and why Georgie had ended it."

"I was hoping they might have had a little more time before having to deal with the rest of the fallout," Joey said with a sigh.

"They were lucky to get this long."

"Yeah, I suppose," Joey said. "What was the feeling around the station about Georgie and Bianca?"

"Pretty much shock," replied Charlie. "Jack had already told people that he and Georgie were expecting another child, so everyone had assumed all was right with their marriage and so for this to happen a couple of days later, well, I'm still not sure it's entirely sunk in with some of them just yet," she told Joey. "While Georgie is well respected as an officer, most of our colleagues still never really saw her outside of the uniform as anything other than the quiet, shy, dutiful wife to Jack and devoted mother to Romeo," she explained. "Georgie just never really stood out, so for her to suddenly end her marriage and hook up with a woman, was an unexpected development for just about everyone at the Station," said Charlie. "Though Peter didn't seem all that surprised."

"Leah might have filled him in earlier," suggested Joey. "Georgie had joined me for lunch at the Diner and she told Leah about her marriage, Bianca and even Martha."

"Ah, that definitely explains Peter's reaction then," said Charlie. "I'm glad Georgie was confident enough to be able to open up to someone else."

"I just hope she remains confident when the whole town finds out, which they probably already have by now."

"Yep, I doubt it took long to spread from the Station to everyone else."

"That's the problem with small towns, once one person outside of the inner circle knows, then pretty much everyone else finds out in a flash," Joey said. "And it spreads even quicker when you're in very public jobs like Georgie, Bianca and Jack are," she murmured. "Did Jack bother to confess about his own affair to everyone else?"

"No and I didn't feel it my place to broadcast it," she said. "It will be out soon enough and once that juicy little extra is added to the rest of it, then the town will have plenty to gossip about for months."

"Georgie was expecting nothing less," Joey said. "Still, expecting it and then having to deal with it are going to be two entirely different experiences."

"She has Bianca for support," Charlie said. "And the two of us."

"And Leah."

"It is still going to be hard for them, no doubt about that," murmured Charlie. "But I have a feeling they'll get through this and be the stronger for it, both as a couple and as individuals."

"That is one of the most wonderful things to have come out of this," Joey said. "Not just our two friends finding true love, but it's a joy to see Georgie come into her own and really start to believe in herself. She's even surprising herself with the way she's stood up to Jack and is fighting for her own happiness for the first time in her life."

"Yeah, she's really come a long way in such a short time," Charlie said in agreement. "Falling in love with Bianca and accepting who she is, has really opened her up to all the possibilities before her and now that door has opened and she's willing to step through it, I can see her growing so much, personally and professionally."

"Finding love with the right woman can do wonders for you," Joey murmured as she ducked down and kissed her wife's forehead. "With you by my side, I know anything is possible."

"I feel exactly the same way, baby." They shared a kiss, before Charlie asked Joey how her day went.

"Hard, but I enjoyed every second of it," Joey replied. "Though I did come close to nearly losing a couple of my fingers in a kitchen mishap."

Charlie reached for one of the hands still massaging her temple. "These fingers are mine, so you better protect them," she informed her wife and then kissed the palm of her wife's hand. "There is too much happiness in these fingers to risk harm to them."

"Don't worry baby, I'm sure I'd come up with another way to keep you happy, should they go missing."

"But I like these fingers," mumbled Charlie. "They do all sorts of nice things to me."

Joey chuckled. "If Ruby wasn't hanging around, I might just give you a demonstration of that."

"Not sure why you're worried about Ruby."

"Because we wouldn't want our daughter walking in on us right in the middle of it, now would we?"

"What's so wrong with her seeing you giving me a massage?" Charlie asked.

"Oh that's what you meant," Joey muttered.

"These fingers give great massage," Charlie said. "Massage makes me happy."

Joey's eyes narrowed when she saw her wife's cheeky grin. "I knew you weren't talking about massages when you were worried for my fingers."

"My fingers," Charlie reminded her.

"Well, your fingers are about to do this," Joey warned her as she launched into a full out tickle attack that had Charlie screaming in laughter and begging for mercy.

* * *

><p>"Well, its probably all over town by now," Georgie muttered.<p>

"Yep," murmured Bianca as she nuzzled her girlfriend's neck. They were once more sitting on the couch, with Georgie's back leaning against her front. This position was fast becoming one of Bianca's favourite pastimes with her. She just loved how warm and soft Georgie was in her arms and how she fitted so snugly against her.

"Everyone likely knows and is talking about us being together right now," she said.

"Yep."

Georgie looked over her shoulder at her girlfriend. "That doesn't bother you?"

"That everyone knows how lucky I am to have a totally gorgeous girlfriend like you?" She grinned when she got the expected blush. She just loved the way Georgie blushed at any compliment made to her and how adorable she looked all rosy cheeked. "Georgie, I'm not a big fan of gossip, especially if I'm one of the main subjects of discussion, but right at this place in time, I am just so happy and nothing can dent that. I love you so much Georgie."

"I love you too," Georgie replied with a shy smile. "And I am incredibly happy now as well, but I'm just not as confident about not letting the shit get to me."

"You are the one in the middle of all of this and as the mother and soon-to-be ex wife, it was always going to be harder for you."

"And for Romeo," she murmured. He'd been better that night, spending more time with them than in his room, yet it was still all so new for him and up until now, only a few people had known about his family's situation. "I'm a little worried about tomorrow and what the other kids might say," Georgie admitted. "They can be quite cruel with their taunts and I don't want Romeo to be upset any more than he already is."

"I'll keep an eye on him at school," Bianca assured her. "And I'll have a word to Gina, let her know of your concerns."

"She's Jack's aunt," Georgie pointed out. She hadn't really ever been that close to Gina, but she respected her and was wary about how the older woman would react to her over this.

"I know, but she's also a professional who always puts the best interests of her students first," she said. "And don't forget, Gina is also Romeo's family as well. She'll look out for him."

"Am I worrying too much?" Georgie asked her.

Bianca shook her head. "As a teacher, I've seen more than my share of kids from broken homes or from families going through difficulties and in nearly all of those instances, the parents were worried about how their problems would affect their kids," she said. "So Georgie, worrying for your kid is a completely normal thing to do, especially in this sort of situation."

"Thank you for saying that."

"It's true."

"You'll let me know if I go overboard though, won't you?"

"I don't think you have to worry about that, but I promise to let you know if you do."

"You really are the best."

"I really will do anything for you Georgie to make you happy," she said with such seriousness, that it made Georgie's heart swell at the love and commitment she felt from her girlfriend.

"How did I ever end up so lucky as to find such a wonderful girlfriend," Georgie whispered.

"I think I'm the lucky one," Bianca told her. "But unfortunately, it's getting late, so how about you let your wonderful girlfriend put you to bed before she goes home?"

"I'd love that."

"I bet you would," smirked Bianca. She had a feeling putting her girlfriend to bed was going to become yet another favourite pastime. In fact, doing almost anything with Georgie was quickly becoming a favourite thing to do.


	89. Chapter 89

Charlie's hands gripped the sheets, her hips rising to meet each thrust of Joey's fingers as her wife's warm mouth sucked and nibbled on each nipple in turn. Her moans were getting louder the nearer her climax came.

"Oh baby, yes," she moaned when Joey grazed her teeth gently across her hardened nipple.

Smirking at her wife's response, Joey repeated the action with the other nipple.

"Oh baby, yes," Charlie moaned again.

"I love the tunes you play when I'm playing you," Joey whispered around the nipple in her mouth. The vibrations made Charlie shiver and thrust her chest against Joey's mouth. "Oh I do love you," said Joey, increasing the pace of her fingers. Charlie's hips matched her thrust for thrust.

"Yes, yes, yes," Charlie panted with each thrust, her hips rising and falling.

Every time Joey's fingers penetrated her, Charlie could feel her thumb pressing against her clit. It was driving her wild and the precipice wasn't far off.

Keeping her fingers and thumb to the steady rhythm, Joey slowly kissed her way upward. Her lips finding Charlie's the moment her wife's climax hit. She muffled Charlie's screams as her wife bucked against her. She rode out her wife's orgasm with her, never letting her fingers slow.

"Jesus," gasped Charlie when the exquisite pleasure between her legs failed to let up.

"That was just the first one baby," Joey told her.

"Oh my," she moaned in response and just let her body react in its own way to the manipulations of her wife.

* * *

><p>Jack threw back the sheets and flung his legs over the side of the bed. The woman behind him muttered in her sleep. He couldn't believe he'd gotten so blind drunk he'd up in some woman's hotel room. He should feel bad about it, but he didn't. What the fuck did he have to feel guilty about anyway? His dyke of a wife had thrown him aside for some bitch and Martha had slammed the door on their future together, so why shouldn't he find some comfort in the arms of another woman? He wasn't hurting anybody.<p>

The woman muttered again and rolled over, exposing her naked breasts to him. He couldn't even remember her name, but his body was already starting to respond to her nakedness.

As if she could feel him watching her, she opened her eyes and smiled at him. "Hey lover boy," she whispered seductively and posed for him.

"Hey," he replied. From what he could remember, she was just passing through town, so he'd never have to see her again. "Oh fuck it," he murmured and moved over her. If she was willing, then so was he.

* * *

><p>"My Joey alarm clock was the best purchase I've ever made," murmured Charlie as she came down from her third climax of the morning and snuggled into her wife's arms.<p>

"And here you were bitching about my tickling technique only last night," Joey reminded her.

"This type of tickle torture I like," replied Charlie.

"So I noticed."

Charlie glared at the shit eating grin on her wife's face. "You are so full of yourself," she said with a playful slap to Joey's side.

"Don't you just love it when you're so full of me?"

"I'm going to wipe that smugness from your face," Charlie warned her.

"I'd like to see you try it."

"Ok," replied Charlie and in a flash, she was kneeling over her wife and pressing Joey's hands on the pillow above her head.

"Is that all you got?" taunted Joey. Charlie cut her off by crushing their lips together. "Mmm, not bad," whispered Joey when they eventually came up for air.

"I've only just begun," Charlie assured her.

"If you've got something in mind, then you'd better hurry up before we receive our regular visitor this morning."

"Oh don't worry baby, I'll have that smugness wiped off your face well before Ruby is up."

"You're all talk, yada yada yada."

Her words spurred Charlie into action and in no time, she had her wife playing her tune.

"Oh god Charlie," moaned Joey. "Please don't stop," she begged when Charlie's hand stilled between her legs.

"Why not, when I've already succeeding in the whole purpose of this," she teasingly said. "Which was to wipe that smugness from your face."

"Charlie!" whined Joey, much to her wife's enjoyment. Wearing her own smirk now, Charlie's hand resumed its movements and all of Joey's frustration was forgotten as her body began to climb its way upwards again.

"Yes, god, yes," panted Joey. Her back bowed as her climax crashed over her and she cried out.

* * *

><p>"I don't seem to be doing a very good job of getting home at night," Bianca murmured against her girlfriend's lips as she lay along her side. She just felt so good in her arms that she never wanted to let go.<p>

"You're doing very well in every other area," an appreciative Georgie murmured back.

Grinning, Bianca deepened the kiss until both women were left gasping for air.

"Oh wow, I could really get to enjoy these mornings," said Georgie, a beaming smile on her lips that was so tempting to Bianca.

Georgie was becoming an addiction to her and she wasn't complaining. Still, there were times where she needed to be strong, like when it came to leaving her side before her son woke up. That smile though, really was irresistible. As was her naked body which was bathed in the morning light. Her whole body was literally glowing and just begging for attention. Who was she to deny her?

* * *

><p>"Thanks love," Charlie said and took a long sip of the coffee.<p>

"You still not looking forward to work," asked Joey as she sat down at the kitchen table opposite her.

"It's more that I'm not looking forward to the tension there," she replied. "And it's not just Jack. It's Shauna," she said. "She just not in a good place either. I tried extending the hand of friendship to her, but she's not keen on taking it." Charlie shrugged. "I don't think it helps that Bianca is our friend."

"Well, I can kind of see it from Shauna's side of things." Joey had never really warmed to her wife's new partner, but in fairness to Shauna, it was because she didn't really know the other woman that well. "She wanted more from Bianca than Bianca was willing to give. I know Bianca told her straight out she wasn't looking for anything, but you can't help it if your heart refuses to listen to your head."

"I know that feeling," Charlie said with a smile to her wife and Joey smiled back. "And you're right. You can't help it when your heart takes over, yet now Shauna is left with nothing, except to watch the woman she wanted being happy with another woman."

"That's not a place I'd like to be in myself."

"Me neither, but unfortunately, it's happened to Shauna and now she wants to run away."

"Perhaps you should let her," said Joey. "It's not just Bianca she has to deal with, it's Alf and if she's truly not happy here, then maybe Summer Bay is not the right place for her to be."

"Yeah, maybe," conceded Charlie. "And as long as she's not letting her current state of mind have too great of an effect on her work, then I probably should take a step back and just be there as a colleague if that's what she wants."

"I'm sure if Shauna really needs to talk, then she will talk to someone," Joey said and her wife nodded in agreement. "Charlie, about what you said last night in Jack wanting to take Romeo from Georgie. I think I might suggest Morag to Georgie," she said to her wife. "I know Morag isn't a family lawyer, but at least she could give Georgie some advice on how to proceed or in any case, give her the name of someone who can help her."

"I'm still hoping Jack will calm down," said Charlie. "But it's probably a good idea for Georgie to be prepared for anything he might try to pull and besides, she's still going to eventually have to contact a lawyer for her divorce."

"Exactly and I'm sure Morag will be happy to give some advice on that."

Charlie smiled at the faith Joey had in Morag. With her brother in jail, Joey had kept in regular contact with Morag, since that was her only line of communication with her brother as he still refused to see her and along the way, she'd come to greatly respect Morag and become comfortable in talking to her.

"It certainly wouldn't hurt to suggest it to Georgie," Charlie said.

"I'll have a word with her on the way to work this morning."

"Speaking of work, I'm going to have to get going shortly."

"Oh, before you go," Joey said. "I was thinking, that since neither of us are working over the weekend, that maybe we could go up to the city and see dad on the weekend."

"That's a great idea," said Charlie. "We could catch up with Nick and Andi as well."

"Should we take Ruby or spare him the embarrassment of having to try to act tough in front of Andi, instead of the big mush ball he turns into around Ruby?"

"We take her for that very reason." Charlie grinned broadly. "After all, we couldn't possibly deny Andi the opportunity of meeting our infamous daughter and getting those tips off her for handling Nick that she so wanted."

"Nick is going to hate us," Joey said with a chuckle.

"I know," Charlie said with an accompanying giggle. And maybe while they were there, she could see if there was anything still lingering between her dad and Morag. Her dad still hadn't admitted to any romantic involvement with Morag, but both Joey and she had picked up on the way her name would crop up during their phone calls with dad. Charlie doubted her father even realised he was talking about her. It still might not mean anything, but one thing she did know, is that her father deserved happiness and if that did turn out to be with Morag, then she wouldn't stand in their way.

* * *

><p>"So much for me being independent," Georgie murmured as Bianca set the cereal plate in front of her, along with an orange juice and freshly made cup of tea. She hadn't needed to lift a finger at all.<p>

"Masturbation is overrated," Bianca quipped and Georgie spat out the mouthful of juice she'd just taken.

"I wasn't talking about that sort of independence," she spluttered in reply.

"I know, but I couldn't resist it," said Bianca and she brushed her lips gently over hers. She really did suck at trying to leave her girlfriend's side. They'd made love once more that morning, before the call to work really had forced her to leave the loving arms of her girlfriend, yet even then, she'd ended up staying to make her breakfast.

"Is April staying at a friend's place tonight?" asked Georgie as she started in on her cereal.

"Not tonight," replied Bianca and she could see the disappointment on Georgie's face. She felt the same way. "But she will be for the rest of the week," she said, before adding a little hesitantly. "So I can spend those nights with you, if you'd like."

"I'd like that," she said. "I'd like that a lot." She wasn't ready for Bianca to move in just yet, but that didn't mean she couldn't spend as much time with her as she could and though they'd only spent two nights together, she already knew that her first night without Bianca by her side, was going to make it so hard for her to sleep alone.

"I really wish I could spend tonight with you as well, but I will still come over to help you with your shower and getting into your pjs," Bianca said. "Right now though, I really do have to head home and get ready for work." And be gone before Romeo is up.

"I'm missing you already."

"Same here." Bianca kissed her again, before stepping away. "And I promise, I'll keep a close eye on Romeo at school," she assured her. "And I'll let the rest of the staff know to keep their eyes and ears open as well."

"Thank you." She smiled at her and Bianca was once more unable to resist. Their lips met once more.

"My, isn't this cute, the two love birds getting it on so early this morning," Jack snidely said.

"Jack, you can't just barge in like this," replied a flustered Georgie.

"This is my house and I needed more of my stuff."

"You could have at least called ahead or knocked."

Jack ignored her and rounded on Bianca. "You spent the night here, didn't you?" he demanded to know of her.

"That's none of your business, Jack," Georgie answered for her.

"It is when my son is in the next room." His body shook in anger. "That's it, I'm taking my boy right now."

"The only place Romeo is going, is to school," Georgie told him. "Now please leave."

Once more, he was shocked by the woman standing up to him. This wasn't his wife.

"Leave now before Romeo walks in on his parents arguing again," Georgie said.

He hesitated, before nodding. He really didn't want his son to see that again. "I'll leave for the moment."

"And leave your key behind," she instructed him.

He bit back a nasty reply and pulled the key from its clip, before tossing it at her feet. "This isn't the end," he told her. "You'll be hearing from my lawyer."


	90. Chapter 90

Georgie smiled gratefully when Joey placed the cup of tea in front of her. "Thanks."

"I still can't believe Jack barged in on you like that," said Joey.

"Yeah and the morning had been going so well up until then," replied Georgie, recalling the love and tenderness she and Bianca had shared that morning. "But then Jack had to go and ruin it by barging in and getting all bent out of shape because Bianca had stayed overnight."

"I'm sorry Georgie," Joey quietly said.

"I knew it was going to be hard and that Jack might not react well to me being a lesbian, but he's just being so unfair in blaming me all the time." She shook her head sadly. "I honestly don't think Jack and I are ever going to be capable of sitting down and talking this through without having it end up as a shouting match, especially now that he's talking about bringing lawyers into it."

"Charlie and I were actually talking lawyers this morning," Joey told her and passed Morag's number over to her. "Morag helped out with my brother and is more in the criminal side of the law, but she should be able to put you on the right track and refer you to someone best suited to your needs," Joey said. "She's also Alf Stewart's sister."

Georgie rolled the paper over in her hands.

"Give her a call Georgie," Joey said. "It certainly wouldn't hurt for you to check out your rights, especially where custody of Romeo and who gets the house is concerned."

Georgie nodded slowly.

"I gave Morag the heads up and let her know you might be in contact with her," said Joey.

"I guess calling in the lawyers was always going to be unavoidable," she murmured. "I just wish it had only been for our divorce and not a custody battle over our son."

"Jack might still change his mind," Joey said. "After all, seeing Bianca here may have just fired him up, but once he's had time to cool down, he may yet reconsider his custody threat."

"You honestly believe that?"

"Probably not," Joey conceded. "Jack was causing trouble at the Station yesterday and he told Charlie he wanted Romeo with him, which was kind of why we were discussing lawyers this morning."

"I really think he's going to try to take my boy from me Joey." Georgie wiped a tear from her eyes. "I can't lose Romeo."

Joey went to her friend's side and put her arm across her shoulders. "We won't let that happen." She and Charlie had wanted to avoid taking sides, but it was becoming increasingly apparent that they wouldn't be able to sit on the fence for much longer if it came down to a custody battle. Joey knew Jack loved his son and could understand that as a father, he might want to have his son live with him if he genuinely believed that was the best option for Romeo, but from what she could see, Jack threatening to take Romeo seemed more of a spiteful reaction to Georgie's revelations about being gay and finding love with another woman, than of him actually thinking or acting in the best interests of his son.

* * *

><p>Stevenson shared another snigger with Jack. It grated on Charlie's nerves, as did the way Stevenson always seemed to be near whenever Jack was badmouthing his wife lately. Jack appeared to appreciate the captive audience and Stevenson obviously enjoyed being on the inner with Jack. No surprise really. His current cocky behaviour and immaturity certainly hadn't been ingratiating Stevenson to his other colleagues, who were already disappointed in him for heaping the blame for the failed burglary case onto Avery, and whilst there was a certain leniency being granted to Jack because of his current marital problems, there was no such excuse for Stevenson. He didn't seem to care though, or he just didn't realise that while he believed his shit didn't stink, there were many others who disagreed with him. Stevenson just wasn't a team player and with his lack of accountability for his own failings and propensity to shift blame to others, Charlie was beginning to suspect, that unless Stevenson had a quick attitude readjustment, then his days within the Force were numbered.<p>

While their schoolboy sniggering continued, Charlie let her eyes drift around the room, gauging the reactions of the other officers present. All morning she'd heard the murmurings, mostly about Georgie and Bianca, with the odd reference to Bianca being a home wrecker. She'd been quick to discourage that line of talk, but it was proving impossible to stop the gossiping altogether. Charlie allowed herself a brief smile as she imagined Joey's reaction to all of these goings on. She'd be rolling her eyes and making comments about how cops were the biggest gossips going around and she'd be right. Cops really were the worst gossips at times.

Charlie's eyes landed on Shauna. Her usual moody expression had been replaced by one of disapproval as she scowled in the direction of Stevenson and Jack. "Uh oh," murmured Charlie when Shauna moved out from behind her desk and strode over to the corner where Stevenson was laughing at something Jack had just said.

"Hey Jack, how's Martha going these days?" Shauna asked him. Charlie briefly wondered how she knew about Martha, since that little titbit had yet to reach the tongues of the gossips, before recalling that Bianca had apparently spilt quite a few details to Shauna when she was drunk one night. Under the circumstances, Charlie found it quite admirable on Shauna's part, that as pissed as she was with Bianca these days, she'd still kept her secrets. At least till today. She wasn't too bothered with Shauna spilling the beans though, since Jack's affair with Martha was always going to come out and in a way, Charlie was relieved that she hadn't been the one to blurt it out.

"Huh, what?" stammered Jack in response to Shauna.

"Martha," she said a little more slowly for the benefit of all within earshot. "You know, the lover who you've had stashed away from your wife for ages."

There was a hushed silence in the room as what Shauna had just said sunk in. Charlie sat back for the moment and let it play out. She'd jump in if necessary, but if Jack got a dressing down by someone other than her, then it just might make him finally realise that he's putting a lot of people off side with his attitude at work and that he is within a whisker of Peter carrying through with his threat to suspend him.

"I don't have any lover," Jack said. Not anymore, he muttered to himself.

"Don't tell me she dumped you once the allure of being with a married man wore off the moment you were free."

"That's not why she did it at all," he angrily replied and then realised he'd just all but confirmed the affair for all to hear.

"Ah, so you were having an affair, right?" Shauna persisted with her questioning. "Or don't you count it as an affair, because you're one of those guys who thinks it's ok to screw around on your wife or girlfriend, yet then has the audacity to act all wounded when she finds someone else and dumps you for them," she accused of him. "Or perhaps you're just pissed off with your wife because you have something against lesbians."

Even without looking, Charlie could feel most eyes slip to her and then back to Jack, as everyone waited for his answer.

"I have nothing against dy…." He only just caught himself from saying dyke, but the damage was already done. "Why don't you just mind your own fucking business," Jack snapped defensively to Shauna.

"If you don't want people to talk or offer opinions, then why the hell don't you keep your trap shut, instead of flapping it about and denigrating your wife where everyone else can hear it," she fired back. "And in case you've forgotten, she is their colleague as well," Shauna said with a wave of her arm around the room. "And so this probably isn't the best place to talk about her like that."

"You don't even know her."

"No I don't, but she's a fellow officer and I don't think it's appropriate for you to be saying these things about her in front of her friends and colleagues," she said. "Especially since she's still recovering from a serious accident and so can't even be here to defend herself right now."

"What are you, my wife's knightess in shining armour," he snidely said and lost a little more sympathy amongst his colleagues. "Sounds like you want to get into my wife's pants as well."

"Do we have a problem here?" Charlie chose that moment to intervene. "Because I seem to be hearing an awful lot of chatter going on, when I'm sure that everyone has a lot of work they should be doing right now," she said in a commanding voice that even had Stevenson scurrying back to his own desk.

"Sorry, Charlie," Shauna said and she glared at Jack until he added his apology to Charlie.

"From now on, let's leave the personal stuff out of the Station," Charlie said. "And if anyone has a problem with that, then I suggest they remind themselves as to what the uniform they're wearing means and how one should act when they're in it."

There was a hush in the room, except for the sudden sound of paper being shuffled and keys being banged on keyboards. At Charlie's questioning look toward her as she walked back to her desk, Shauna paused. "I can't abide hypocrites like him," was all she said, yet Charlie understood. Shauna may have lost Bianca to Georgie, yet she wouldn't let her own unhappiness at the situation keep her quiet if she saw or heard anyone being unfair or just downright rude toward either of them, as Jack had just been. Shauna really did have the makings of becoming a fine young officer, thought Charlie, if only she wouldn't let her current dissatisfaction rule her decision making by running away.

* * *

><p>"It's awful the way those two women have been carrying on behind poor Const. Holden's back," Colleen said. Joey glared at the back of the woman who was apparently still too sick to return to work, yet was well enough to be sitting in the diner spreading her opinions as facts. She wanted to say something to her, yet she was caught between wanting to stick up for her friends or being a good employee that didn't want to embarrass her boss by shouting down some ignorant and bigoted old biddy in front of all the other customers.<p>

"Don't you agree Leah?" Colleen said to the Diner owner when she came by her table.

"No, not at all," Leah flatly stated. "I think being open and honest with Jack and ending the marriage before anything happened with Bianca was quite commendable on Georgie's part," she said. "Far more commendable," she paused for dramatic effect. "Than a man who conducts a secret affair for months on end and even has sex with his mistress right under his wife's nose."

"Who did that?" Colleen eagerly asked, unable to keep her thirst for gossip abated.

"I don't feel it's my place to say," Leah said and Joey tried not to laugh at the way her friend was playing with Colleen. The old biddy was like a kid begging for more food in her quest for more gossip.

Leah looked around conspiratorially, gave a wink to Joey, then leant in close to Colleen as if she was about to impart some huge secret to her alone. She kept her voice at a normal level though, so most could hear what she was saying. "Let's just say that a certain marriage had more than three people involved in it," she cryptically said, before she gathered the empty cup and saucer from Colleen's table.

"Honestly, sometimes I think this town has nothing better to do than gossip about others," Leah commented as she rejoined Joey in the kitchen. "And I know I probably shouldn't have said or even implied anything about Jack and his own infidelity, but I couldn't stand it any longer having to listen to Colleen making judgements on Georgie and Bianca when she only had part of the story," she said. Then she smiled wryly. "I have to admit though, to a certain satisfaction in knowing that what I just told her, will annoy her no end as she tries to figure out who the fourth wheel is in Georgie's marriage," she told Joey.

"I'm sure it won't have taken much longer for Martha's part to become known anyway."

"I'd have given it to lunch time," Leah said.

"I'm glad you did say something though," Joey said. "Because I was this close to having a go at her," she said. "I just didn't want to embarrass you by blowing up at one of your customers."

"I'm usually pretty tolerant with what I let go in here, but when it comes to malicious gossip like I know Colleen loves to spread, then to hell with that whole motto of the customer is always right, because I refuse to put up with it," explained Leah. "So feel free to put a customer back in their place if you feel they need it."

"I have a feeling there might be bit of that going on in the coming days," murmured Joey as the voices of their customers drifted into them.

"Jack's wife is gay?"

"Well, if he was having an affair, then it's no wonder he sought comfort elsewhere if his wife wasn't prepared to be a proper wife to him," another voice said.

"Who is having an affair?"

"Some woman," a different voice said.

"No, it was the husband."

"Really, with who?"

"God, I'm running a gossip factory," muttered Leah, now wishing she'd kept her mouth shut. Then again, they'd been gossiping before she opened her mouth and no doubt, would still have been gossiping had she said anything or not.

"This is juicy stuff Leah and regardless of what we say or what all the facts actually are, everyone else is going to have their own opinion on who they believe is in the wrong or right here," Joey said.

"Bianca Scott, as in my daughter's school teacher?" a man's voice said.

"Is that the one having the affair with the cop?"

"Yes," someone else said. "He's kind of cute."

"No, the teacher is having the affair with the female cop," another said. "The storekeeper's daughter."

"No, that was her previous girlfriend, but now she's on with the married cop."

"Yeah, with Jack."

"No, she's with his wife."

"Whose wife?"

Joey rolled her eyes as on and on it went and god only knew what sort of rumours were going to be created by the end of the day. She spared a thought for her friends and what they were going to be dealing with from now on and as for today, it was probably a good thing that Georgie was going to be too busy speaking to Morag over the phone, to come into the diner for lunch. Tomorrow might not be much better though at the rate this was going.


	91. Chapter 91

"By the time I left the Diner, some of the rumours that were being discussed really were so far out there," Joey was telling her wife as they relaxed with a glass of wine in front of the telly after a long workday. With Ruby over at Aden's place for tea, there was a peaceful silence to the house. "And I swear, there were times when I saw a steam of frustration coming from Leah's ears at the nonsense being spoken."

"Do I want to know any of the details?" asked Charlie.

"Probably not," she murmured. "By the end of my shift, I was kind of glad that neither Bianca nor Georgie had chosen today to eat at the Diner," she said. "Even Jack and Martha would not have wanted to have walked into that."

"Unfortunately, none of them are going to be able to avoid the gossip for long."

"Yeah, I know," said Joey. "Everyone is talking about it, so there's nowhere to hide," she said. "In fact, don't be surprised if you get a call to some disturbance or two, going on at the Diner in the coming days."

"Really?"

"Let's just say that with Colleen returning to work tomorrow, then yeah, I dare say there might be some fireworks taking place if she's anything like she was today."

"Doesn't that woman ever grow tired of gossiping and making judgements on others?"

"Nope," Joey replied. "These days, I think she actually lives for it."

"Why doesn't Leah just fire her?"

"Because at her age, she's unlikely to get another job and she is a good worker, so Leah's willing to put up with some of her more annoying habits," she said. "I do think Leah will eventually reach a limit though, where she has to put her foot down with Colleen. Shut up and work or quit."

"As long as her foot isn't on Colleen's gob if or when she gives such an ultimatum," quipped Charlie.

Joey chuckled. "Believe me, there were a few times today where I wished my foot was in her mouth, if only to shut her up."

"Just remember that your wife is a cop and so her having to arrest you for assault might not be a good look."

"You don't want to use handcuffs on me?" Joey asked with a look of innocence Charlie wasn't buying.

"Not in public, baby."

"Spoilsport," pouted Joey.

Rather than get drawn into one of Joey's games, Charlie ignored her, instead asking her wife if she ended up giving Morag's number to Georgie.

"Yeah," replied. Joey. "I don't know how things went, but when I left Georgie, she was on the phone to Morag."

"With the way Jack has been carrying on, I think encouraging Georgie to get some legal representation was a good thing."

"She was already weighing up that option after Jack barged in on her this morning, saw Bianca was there and started threatening lawyers."

"This is so unlike Jack," said Charlie. "He's always seemed so fair minded, if a little opinionated at times, but generally, he treated everyone with respect."

"He was hardly respectful to Georgie by sneaking around with Martha behind her back for so long," Joey pointed out. "I do get what you mean though. This blaming Georgie and badmouthing her streak he's displaying isn't like the Jack we've come to know and certainly not someone Georgie has seen before. I guess marriage breakdowns are hard," she said. "Sure, their marriage was lacking in so many ways and this is one time where ending the marriage is in all their best interests, yet they were a family and now it's being torn apart and people react differently to situations like that."

Charlie nodded in agreement. "I'm just glad we're never going to have to worry about that," she said. "Because I'm never letting you go," she added. "Not even when you're being so incredibly annoying."

"When am I ever annoying?" Joey asked with mock affront.

"You're annoying pretty much most of the time," Charlie drawled slowly.

Joey's eyes narrowed. "Why you," she said, but this time, Charlie was prepared for the attack and so when Joey pounced, she instead found herself flipped onto her back, with her wife sitting across her belly, her hands held above her head.

"Got ya," crowed Charlie. "And I have at least two hours to do with you as I please."

"Oooh, I'm so scared," Joey sang out.

"You should be," Charlie told her. "Because you my dear, are going to."

"Going to what?"

"I haven't decided yet," replied Charlie.

"Now I'm really scared."

Grinning, Charlie ducked in for a kiss. It was more of a peck really and just as quickly, her lips were gone from Joey's.

"Your kissing needs work," Joey informed her wife.

"Like this?" Charlie said, moving in for another. This time, it was long, deep and probing and it left Joey breathless when Charlie finally released her lips. "So, does my kissing still need work?"

"Well," Joey said but she was cut off by another kiss, just as long as the previous one. "Ok, you're definitely getting there," murmured Joey.

A few more kisses and Joey was conceding to her wife's kissing prowess.

"I love it when you see things my way," bragged Charlie.

"I love it when I do this," replied Joey and with a twist of her hips, Charlie was tumbling off her wife. "Oops," she laughed mirthfully when Charlie landed in a heap on the floor.

"Very funny," groaned Charlie as she sat up.

"Would you like me to kiss it better?"

"Kiss what better?"

"Your pride."

"Ha ha."

"Honestly Charlie, I didn't mean for you to fall off the couch."

"Yeah, I know."

"How about I make it up to you with a nice, soapy bath?"

"Plenty of bubbles?"

"Plenty of bubbles," Joey said. "And plenty of me."

* * *

><p>"Romeo said his day was fine," Georgie said, looking to her girlfriend for confirmation.<p>

"As promised, I kept an eye out for him and as far as I'm aware, he was perfectly fine," Bianca assured her. "Ruby, Dex, Indi and April kept him occupied and the other kids were too busy doing their own things to bother with Romeo."

Georgie breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you."

"The staffroom on the other hand, well that had its usual bitchiness."

"Seriously?" said Georgie.

"What, you actually thought teachers were as well behaved and civilised as the students they teach?" she joked.

"I know you're not well behaved."

Bianca grinned at her. "Lucky for you that I'm not."

"Very lucky for me."

"Well anyway, as I was saying, the staffroom was suffering from some bitchiness," she said. "I'd hear a few whispers, only for it to stop as soon as I walked into the room."

"Are you ok?"

"Oh I'm perfectly used to the dealings of all the egos in a school staffroom," replied Bianca. "And there have always been a couple of teachers there, who have never really been that friendly toward me and it's not because I'm gay."

"Why then?" said Georgie. "You're a good teacher and nice person, I don't get why anyone would have a problem with you."

"Thanks for the compliment baby," Bianca said. "But I don't think it's anything against me so much, it's more that they don't really enjoy their job and so they tend to be resentful about being there and toward those who do love the job."

"Why are they even teaching then?"

"The money." She shrugged. "It's not the highest paid profession by far, but it's stable and you have set work times and holidays and that appeals to some more than the actual teaching part."

"Did you always want to be a teacher?"

"Pretty much," said Bianca. "I went through the fanciful stage of wanting to be an astronaut and such, but teaching has always been my passion." She smirked at her girlfriend. "I love teaching."

Taking her real meaning, Georgie smiled back at her. "And I love learning from you."

"I only wish I could stay longer tonight so that I could do a little bit more educating with you."

"I think I can struggle through on my own for one night."

"Just the one night?"

"Aside from tonight, you're planning on spending the rest of the week with me, aren't you?"

Bianca smiled at the sudden uncertainty in her girlfriend's voice. "Georgie, you couldn't keep me away from you." She kissed her softly. "Now, how was your day?"

"Joey stopped by and gave me the name of a lawyer to talk to," Georgie replied. "Morag then put me onto another lawyer who is coming to the Bay the day after tomorrow to speak to me about where we should go from here," she explained. "One thing he did say over the phone, was that since Jack has moved out and I'm still in the house, then it gives me the upper hand there."

"You don't sound overly pleased with that," Bianca gently commented.

"I just didn't want this to get ugly," she replied. "I really hate that it has come to such animosity between Jack and me, that we'll probably only be able to talk through our lawyers from now on," murmured Georgie.

"I too wish things had turned out differently there," Bianca said. "Maybe things will still calm down, but if they don't, then we'll deal with it," she told her. "Together."

"Together," murmured Georgie. "I really love the sound of together."

"Get used to it, because I intend on together being forever," Bianca told her.

* * *

><p>Holding her hand up, Charlie blew and the bubbles gently floated into the air.<p>

"I think you get more enjoyment out of bubble bath than Ruby does," Joey murmured bemusedly from where she was sitting behind Charlie in the tub.

"There's just something so relaxing about bubbles."

"I must admit to liking bubbles as well," Joey said. "Especially when they're glistening against my wife's naked skin like this." She blew on Charlie's shoulder and the bubbles floated away, while Charlie shivered at having her wife's breath so close. "These bubbles are even nicer," she said, gently squeezing the objects between her fingers.

"Those aren't bubbles Joey," gasped Charlie, her chest involuntarily thrusting out to meet her wife's teasing touch.

"You mean these," she squeezed again. "Aren't bubbles?"

"Oh god," moaned Charlie, her nipples hardening considerably at Joey's touch.

Joey continued with her gentle play, alternating between squeezing and flicking at the hardened peaks. "If I blow on them, will they float away?" she teasingly asked.

"Why don't you find out," Charlie said, turning in the tub and moving so her knees straddled either side of Joey's legs and her hands rested on her wife's shoulders.

With Charlie's chest now at face level, Joey blew. It was nice. Charlie closed her eyes. She sighed when the soft blowing stopped, only to be replaced by something warm and wet.

"Oh yeah," Charlie groaned as one nipple disappeared into Joey's mouth while the other was encompassed by a warm, wet hand. Squeezing to the same rhythm with both her hand and mouth, Joey quickly worked her wife's desire up. She switched, treating each nipple to the same exquisite torture that had Charlie thrusting her body toward her.

"Don't stop," panted Charlie when Joey's hand left her breasts.

"Not stopping at all baby," Joey told her.

"Oh fuck," cried Charlie when Joey's hand found its way between her legs. Joey's mouth returned to her breasts at the same time she thrust into her wife. "Yes," shouted Charlie. She braced her hands on Joey's shoulders and with her knees, she started to rise and fall in time to the thrusts of her wife's fingers buried deep inside her. "Yes, yes, oh god, yes, yes," she panted.

Each time she entered her wife, Joey would flick her tongue across Charlie's breasts. Charlie knew she was close and Joey could feel it in the way her wife's body was responding to her. Water sloshed over the sides of the tub as their movements grew frantic as each sought that moment. Charlie felt as if a flash had gone off behind her eyelids as those dual pleasures from her breasts to her sex, met in an explosive climax and she screamed out her pleasure, her voice reverberating around the room as her body bucked in the arms of her wife.

"Oh, that was nice," she panted as she collapsed against Joey.

"Just nice?"

"When I'm capable of more, I'll show you just how nice it was," she murmured. She felt Joey's lips on her temple. That soft touch and the strong arms around her, made her feel so incredibly content right then.


	92. Chapter 92

**_3 DAYS LATER…._**

"It's amazing what little angels they can look like after getting into trouble," murmured Joey as she stood beside Bianca outside the principal's office. Ruby, Romeo, Xavier, April, Indi and even Dex, were all lined up seated against the wall, their legs swinging beneath their chairs, not a word being spoken.

"Kids will be kids and when it comes to the school playground, kids like to pick on other kids," Bianca said quietly enough that only Joey could here. "I'm actually surprised something like this didn't happen earlier, but since there are a lot of kids here who are from broken homes, there's been more sympathy for Romeo than anything else."

"Until today," Joey said. "Are you surprised that it was Xavier who was the one to have a go at Romeo?"

"Not really," she replied. "Xavier and Romeo don't know each other all that well, despite being related. Georgie and her family have only been in the Bay for about three years and for most of that time, Xavier was away in boarding school."

"Boarding school at that age?"

"From what I heard, his father demanded it, because that was where he went and Gina never had much say in the matter," Bianca quietly told Joey. "Her ex husband was a bastard by all accounts and the day he decided to take off to the other side of the world to avoid embezzlement and tax evasion charges, Gina pulled her son from the boarding school and enrolled him here."

"So Xavier is from a broken home as well."

"Yeah, but he's also a self-entitled brat who thinks he's better than everyone else because his mum runs the place and his father's family is well off," Bianca told her. "Personally, I don't think he's accepted that his father isn't coming back and so he's taking it out on everyone else. I even overheard him calling me a home wrecker a couple of times today," she said. "That bit of speech sounded like he was repeating something he'd heard, so it seems as if I'm being painted as the scarlet woman by some people."

"You almost sound amused by that," said Joey.

"I knew the moment Georgie left Jack for me, that I'd be copping the blame from some areas and as hurtful as some of those comments can be, I'm not going to shy away from my own accountability in this whole saga. Georgie was a married woman when I fell in love with her and people are right when they say that without me, Georgie and Jack would likely still be together," she explained. "I played a big part in how this has unfolded and I accept that, but at the end of the day, I'm with Georgie and that makes all the other shit bearable, because I have never been happier."

"Anyone would think that Jack was the innocent victim in all of this," muttered Joey.

"Well thankfully, not everyone does think like that," Bianca said. "Maybe if I was a man this would be different, but the lesbian element just adds that extra spice and some aren't happy about it. Gina has even warned me that some parents had expressed disappointment in my actions," she said. "I've never hidden that I was a lesbian and most of the kids and their parents have been fine with it, but I guess hooking up with a married woman who has a son at the school, has changed a few opinions."

"Are they going to cause you trouble?"

"They could try, but there's not a lot they can do and Gina certainly won't put up with any attack on a staff member," Bianca replied. "She's not exactly pleased that I came between her nephew and his wife, but when it comes to the school and supporting her staff, Gina is 100% professional, so she's not going to let any parent try to bully me or get me removed." Bianca shrugged. "Emotions are high at the moment, but once things settle down, the parents will back off."

"Are you sure?"

Bianca nodded. "With the exception of one," she replied. "Melody Jones' mother is overprotective and opinionated, but Gina mostly ignores her, since she's always stirring up trouble for what she perceives as some wrong doing."

"God," murmured Joey. "It sounds like schools are still the same battlegrounds they were when I was a student."

"It does seem like a battleground at times, what with all the little skirmishes and sides to be picked and such."

"Yet you signed up to be a teacher and be a part of that."

"It's a very rewarding job, if you can navigate through the land mines."

* * *

><p>His lawyer's cries of ecstasy joined Jack's as she collapsed on top of him. He stared at the top of her head as she lay panting across his chest. Sam Tolhurst worked and lived a little further up the coast. He'd hired her two days ago so he could protect his rights as Romeo's father and since yesterday, she'd become his lover. He'd been furious when Georgie's lawyer had rocked up on his doorstep and issued him a warning about entering her house uninvited. Her house? It was as much his house as hers and he'd been ranting and raving to himself at what a bitch she was being when Sam had turned up for their appointment. She'd calmed him down, they'd shared a few drinks and then ended up in bed. She wasn't Martha, but he'd quickly become enamoured with Sam, so much so, that he'd ducked off from his patrol to meet up with her today.<p>

"You should get back to work," she told him as she climbed off him and started dressing.

"Will I see you tonight?"

She shook her head. "Mum can't watch Rory tonight, so I have to stay in."

Jack had yet to meet her son and he was finding it weird to be with a woman who had a kid his own son's age. He was also beginning to wonder whether hooking up with Sam was the wisest of moves. Not only was she his lawyer, she like him, had other responsibilities. Sam didn't seem all that bothered by any of it 7though.

"I'll file those papers at the courthouse on the way home." She looked around the room. "You know, this caravan has a certain charm," she bemusedly said. "But if I were you, I'd make sure you find a house quick smart. It will help with your application for custody."

"What are my chances in court?"

"The truth or lawyer speak?"

"The truth."

"The truth is, that your chances of gaining full custody are slim," she said. "Being gay isn't a crime and doesn't make your wife an unfit mother and although she was the one who ended the marriage so she could enter into another relationship with another woman, she is by all accounts, a good and loving mother who can provide a stable home for your son."

"Yeah, she is a good mum," he admitted. "And she really loves Romeo."

"Then Jack, I really want you to think this through. Are you absolutely certain that seeking full custody, instead of equal joint custody, is really what you want to be doing?" she asked him. "If this court action is just an angry reaction to her coming out as gay and getting her own lover, along with her own lawyer, then I strongly suggest that you have a rethink, because once you head down this path, it can get very ugly and your son is going to get caught right in the middle of an all out war."

"What do you think I should do?"

"Perhaps take a couple more days to consider your reasons for doing this and go through all the pros and cons about taking this action," she told him. "And in the meantime, I can hold off on lodging those forms until then."

He sighed, then nodded. "Ok, hold off for now," he said.

"Jack, I know you want Romeo with you, but courts can put a lot of weight on what the child wants and so the last thing you want to do, is alienate Romeo by going hard at his mum."

"You've seen that a lot?"

"I went through it with my own ex," she said. "He slandered me from pillar to post from the moment our marriage ended and our son wanted nothing to do with him afterward and he's never really been able to regain Rory's trust back. As much as I hate my ex these days, I hate the effect the animosity between us has had on my son even more."

"I don't want Romeo to turn on me, but I'm not willing to let Georgie just walk all over me either where our son is concerned," he said. "Romeo is my priority and if I think he's not coping with his mother's relationship or if Georgie pushes me too hard, then I am going to fight back."

* * *

><p>"Sorry I'm late, I had to wait for the taxi," Georgie said a little out of breath as she arrived at the outside office. Before she had a chance to really speak to her son or Bianca, Gina's door opened.<p>

"Ah, you're all here, please come in," she said, indicating to Joey, Bianca and Georgie. "You five," she said to the children. "Stay right there." She waited for the adults to enter her office and then closed the door. "Dr Walker is unable to attend, so we can get right down to it."

"What exactly is it?" Joey said. "You weren't clear over the phone as to what Ruby had done, only that she was in trouble."

"Unfortunately, my son decided to start a fight with Romeo and Ruby got caught in the middle," Gina said. When she had filled them in on all the details, she apologised to them. "I am so embarrassed," she said. "I have always been about acceptance and tolerance for all people and I had no idea Xavier thought that way about homosexuals."

"I'm not sure he actually does," said Bianca. "He's never said anything remotely homophobic toward me before today. This isn't the first time I've caught Xavier picking on a kid and as with the other times, he seems to pick a topic he believes will hurt the most," she told her. "In this case, it was about Romeo's mum and her new girlfriend, me."

"He's certainly never said anything to Ruby about her having two mums," added Joey. "So I tend to agree with Bianca that he's not necessarily homophobic and was just looking for an angle of attack, so to speak."

"Well whatever the reason for his behaviour, I'm very disappointed in him," Gina said. "And in myself. I've spoilt him rotten since his father's been out of the picture and with me being principal, he seems to think that gives him special privileges. It doesn't and I'm going to make damn sure he understands that once and for all."

"What about our kids?" asked Joey.

"Xavier was the instigator, but that doesn't excuse the actions of the others and they will all have to accept some form of punishment." Gina stood and went to the door. Opening it, she signalled for the children to enter.

The kids filed in wearing almost identical expressions. Part fear, part shame. Gina stood before them, her arms crossed, her expression stern. If Joey were one of those kids, she'd probably be terrified at what might be coming their way if that look was anything to go by. She knew Gina was tough, yet would be fair though as she gave the kids a moment to reflect on their behaviour.

"This school does not tolerate fighting or bullying," Gina told them. "Indi, Dex, from tomorrow, you have one day of lunchtime and afterschool detention for choosing to stand on the sidelines and cheer them on instead of calling for a teacher," she informed them. "April, since this is your last day at this school, your detention for the same offense will have to be done after school today, if that's not too much of an inconvenience to your plans Bianca."

"We don't have to leave for the city till around 6, so that's fine," Bianca said.

"Ruby, for pushing Xavier to the ground, you have one weeks detention and you boys," Gina said to Romeo and Xavier. "For wrestling and bullying, you have a month of detention where you'll be picking up litter and cleaning blackboards and dusters."

"A month!" Xavier wailed.

"Would you prefer two?"

Xavier's shoulders slumped back down. "No mum," he mumbled.

"And don't think this is the end of it where you're concerned Xavier," she warned him. "We'll be talking more about your behaviour and attitude at home."

"Yes mum."

"Now, I don't want to see any of you in front of me like this again, is that clear?"

"Yes Mrs Austin," they chorused together.

"Good, now back to your classrooms."

Gina sighed heavily the moment the children had scurried away. "Sometimes I hate being the principal," she muttered.

"Kids hey," said Joey. "They certainly like to keep our lives exciting."

"Honestly, I could do without the extra excitement at the moment," Gina said. "Well ladies, I think that is about it," she said. "Georgie, could you remain a moment though?"

"I'll wait for you outside," Bianca told her. The look of trepidation on her girlfriend's face at Gina's request nearly had Bianca wanting to grab her hand and take her out of there as she followed Joey out of the room.

"Oh boy, I just love visiting the principal's office," Joey said once the door had closed behind them.

"At least it wasn't too bad."

"True, but Charlie and I are still going to have to decide whether we should further punish Ruby or not," she said. "I know she was only standing up for Romeo, but we can't have our daughter pushing boys around."

"Just wait until Ruby is pulling boys home," joked Bianca.

"Never going to happen," said Joey. "Charlie and I decided long ago that Ruby is not dating, ever."

"Yeah, good luck with enforcing that."

Joey smiled wryly. "We can dream, can't we?"

"Sure you can."

Joey glanced at her watch. "I need to fill Charlie in on what happened here today and then get back to the Diner," she said to Bianca.

"How is that old harridan there carrying on today?"

"Since Leah had a go at her on her first day back, Colleen hasn't been too bad," said Joey. "Just the odd comment here and there but nothing like she was the day word got out about you and Georgie. Still, I'm glad it's my last day working there, because I really have had to have bitten my tongue around that woman more than I usually do."

"You're a very strong woman Joey."

Joey looked at her curiously.

"Well, surrounded by all those sharps knives and an old harridan who couldn't hold her tongue," said Bianca.

"I never actually considered that," murmured Joey. "Good thing we didn't have this talk before today or you might have given me ideas," she said. "Charlie wouldn't have liked it though."

"There is that," agreed Bianca. "Oh, the drawbacks of being married to a cop."

"There are certainly drawbacks to being married to a cop," said Joey. "There are also many advantages to having your very own cop."

"Ooh, do tell."

"Nope, I don't kiss and tell," Joey said with a grin. "I really should be going."

Bianca glanced at the closed door. "You think Georgie is ok in there?"

"Why, what do you expect to happen in there?"

"Gina is Jack's aunt and they're close," Bianca said. "And Georgie has just left him for another woman, Romeo is copping the fallout and now poor Georgie is in there, all alone behind that closed door, while I'm stuck out here."


	93. Chapter 93

The moment Georgie left Gina's office, Bianca took her by the hand and led her to the first empty classroom she could find. Closing the door, she immediately pulled her girlfriend close to her and kissed her soundly.

"Sorry, I couldn't help myself there," she murmured. Bianca really couldn't get enough of having this woman in her arms. That one night earlier this week where she'd been unable to stay over had been hell. She'd struggled all night to get to sleep, while the following night when she'd spent it beside her lover, she'd slept like a baby. After they'd made love of course. She kissed her again, before stepping back. "What did Gina want?"

"To once again say she's sorry for what Xavier said to Romeo and then she explained, that while she hates seeing Jack hurting, she realises he's not blameless in this and that if I truly am a lesbian, then she can understand why it was impossible for me to stay any longer in a relationship with a man, even if he is her nephew."

"Gina's generally a fair person, but I admit to being a little worried when she kept you behind," she said. "Especially since Jack is her nephew."

"You weren't the only one who was worried." She sighed and leant into her girlfriend's arms again. "I can't believe this happened, I mean, I guess I'm not really that surprised that someone picked on Romeo, but I honestly didn't expect that person to be Xavier," she said. "I just hope this experience today doesn't make Romeo resentful toward our relationship."

"Romeo is fine Georgie," Bianca assured her. "He was more angry than upset by what Xavier said." She smiled. "He even defended me and said I wasn't a home wrecker. I guess he blames his father more than he blames me."

"Did Xavier really call you a home wrecking lesbo slut?"

"That was one of the things I overheard him saying to Romeo."

"I'm sorry."

"Georgie, I'm a big girl and I can handle the brattish behaviour of a pupil."

"You still shouldn't have to," she said. "God, Jack is probably going to blame me for this," she muttered. "He's already pissed that my lawyer warned him about barging into the house and once he hears about Romeo being bullied and why, it's all going to be my fault."

"I wish I didn't have to leave you alone tonight," Bianca said.

"I can deal with Jack on my own, I'd just rather I didn't have to," she replied.

"If he does bother you, just call me and we can talk it over," Bianca suggested. She cupped Georgie's cheek. "I hate that I'm not going to be seeing you again until tomorrow."

"You could still come over tonight," Georgie told her.

"It'll be late by the time I get back to the Bay" she said. "Like after midnight late."

"It's ok, I won't be asleep," Georgie assured her. "I don't think I can sleep without you by my side."

"I feel the same baby," Bianca said, brushing her lips over hers. "If you're still awake after midnight, leave a light on so I know, otherwise I don't want to wake the whole house up."

"Ok."

"Do you want me to call you a taxi to take you home?"

Georgie nodded. "That'd be good."

* * *

><p>"Need a hand," smirked Joey as she zipped up her suitcase without any effort at all while she watched her wife struggling with hers.<p>

"I'll get it," panted Charlie as she sat on her suitcase and bounced up and down a few times.

"You know, we're only going to dad's place for the weekend," Joey commented in amusement.

"Which is why I went with the small case," mumbled Charlie as the zipper finally made some movement.

"You should have just gone with a bigger case and be done with it."

"This case is fine." Charlie groaned as the zipper came to a grinding halt.

"Charlie, you're going to have to take something out of that case if you want that zip to go all the way around."

"I've already gotten rid of a couple of things," she complained.

"Want me to repack it for you then?"

Charlie glared at her. "No way," she said. "You'd just leave all the essentials behind."

"An extra top you're never going to wear is hardly an essential item," Joey pointed out.

"Who says I'm not going to wear it?"

"You do this all the time Charlie," said Joey. "You pack what you intend to wear and then you always pack an extra set of each."

"Yeah, for emergencies."

"When have you ever needed to wear these so-called for emergency clothes though?"

"That would be the one time that I don't take spares," reasoned Charlie. "Joey, I ended up as a walking donut not that long ago and so now I think it even more prudent that I take spares, just in case something like that happens again."

"I hardly think you're going to get flour bombed at dad's place," Joey dryly said.

"Seriously Joey," Charlie replied with disbelief. "You and Ruby are dangerous enough, but a spilt wine or sauce." Charlie shrugged. "I just think my strategy makes more sense."

"More sense would be using a bigger case," Joey said in bemusement as Charlie resumed her struggles. "Yell out when you finally shut that thing."

* * *

><p>"Thanks hun," Charlie said as she took the glass of water from her wife and took a big gulp.<p>

"Did you remember to pack your robe," Joey casually asked her.

Frowning, Charlie glanced toward her case. It had been a struggle, but she'd finally won the battle and all without having to remove a single item. Now though, she was trying to remember if she had packed everything. "Damn," muttered Charlie with a sinking feeling. The last thing she wanted to do was to have to open that case before she got to her dad's. Her eyes narrowed in suspicion when her wife started cackling in obvious merriment at her side. "Why you annoying little tease," she said.

Joey didn't even bother to try to evade pursuit. Why evade when she wanted to be caught?

"Huh, got ya," crowed Charlie, pinning Joey to the bed.

"Yep, you got me," drawled Joey. "The big tough cop got her girl, her sitting down and not moving away from her girl," said Joey. "Oh, what a test of training that required."

"You're taking all the fun out of this," complained a pouting Charlie.

"Because we don't have time for this," she replied. "So unless you want to delay our departure until the early hours of tomorrow morning, then we need to be on the road within the half hour or it will be well after 9 pm before we arrive at dad's place."

"But you started it," Charlie muttered as she rolled off to the side.

"Now I know where Ruby gets it from."

"Speaking of Ruby," she said. Propping herself up on her elbow, Charlie looked at her wife. "I know it was wrong for Ruby to have pushed Xavier at school today, but I'm also kind of proud of her for sticking up for a mate."

"So am I."

"But we still need to be seen to be portraying the displeased parents, don't we?"

"It's a part of parenting," replied Joey. "Ruby could have found another way to stick up for Romeo, that didn't involve her shoving another boy and now she'll realise that."

"I still feel bad at her little sad face when you suggested that we should ground her and not let her come to the city with us."

"Honey, that was you who said that," Joey gently reminded her.

"I didn't mean it though."

"No, it would have been punishing her grandfather by not taking Ruby with us, but she needed to understand that her actions sometimes have consequences and her not going could have been one of them." As it was, Ruby was going to be on double dish duty for a fortnight and her gaming and video privileges were also going to be limited for that period.

"It's so much easier handing out punishment to criminals than it is to my own daughter," Charlie grumbled.

"That's because our daughter has her hands around your heart and she just loves to squeeze and bat those sad eyes at you and wring out every ounce of sympathy she can," said Joey. "That girl really does know how to play you for the big softy that you are."

"She definitely gets that from you."

Joey beamed at her. "I taught her well."

Charlie sighed dramatically. "I never stood a chance with you two, did I?"

"Nope." Joey jumped off the bed and slapped her wife gently on her hip. "Come on, time to get everything into the car and hit the road."

"I'm driving," Charlie stated quite firmly.

"So you've said," replied Joey. "Numerous times. One might start to think that you still had something against my driving skills, even after all these years."

"Bloody oath I do."

"Then blame my lousy driving instructor."

"Hey, that was me!"

"My point exactly."

"Ok, I am not getting into another battle of byplay with you."

"Conceding before you lose is a wise option."

Charlie pointed to her. "I know what you did just then."

"Do you?"

"I'm not falling for it."

"Really?"

In silent reply, Charlie smiled at her wife, grabbed her suitcase and walked out the door. Chuckling, Joey reached for her own case and followed after her.

* * *

><p>Georgie glanced at the clock the moment the doorbell went. She knew it couldn't be Bianca, since she'd already be in the city with April. Going by the impatience being shown by the repeated ringing, it was probably Jack. Sighing, she got up and walked to the door.<p>

"You didn't even have the decency to call me about Romeo," Jack said as he barged passed her.

"I did try to call you Jack," she said. "At least three times but you never answered."

"You know Georgie, I was already to take a step back and think about what I intended to do next, but today has just reinforced my belief that Romeo would be better off with me."

"Oh and being with you means he won't be bullied?"

"I'll look after him."

"How, by going to school with him and being at his side every second of the day?"

"You're being ridiculous."

"I'm being ridiculous," she said, her voice rising. "The way you've been acting lately Jack, has not only been ridiculous, it's been hypocritical."

On and on it went, their voices getting louder as the anger grew between them.

"I'm not going to stand here and be insulted anymore by you," Jack eventually said.

"My god Jack, could you be any less," Georgie was saying, yet she never finished as she swayed before Jack.

"Georgie!" he yelped and reached out, catching his wife before she hit the ground.


	94. Chapter 94

"Jesus," yelped Charlie when she unlatched the suitcase and the lid flung open without her even touching it. She watched on in silent dismay as her clothes slowly rose up, the top layer overflowing from the sides of the case, with one pair of rolled up socks finding their way to the floor and under the bed. Flushing in embarrassment, she kept her back to her chuckling wife.

"I could have told you that was going to happen after the way you jammed everything in so tightly," Joey said in what was meant to be a helpful tone. Much like the suggestions she'd made during the drive to her dad's, thought Charlie.

"No need to gloat," muttered Charlie.

"It's not gloating baby," said Joey. "It's just stating a fact," she added smugly.

Charlie rolled her eyes. She could hardly blame Joey for being so amused. She had after all, brought this on herself. First by ignoring her wife's earlier advice about how to pack and using a larger case and secondly, by being foolish enough to open the case when Joey was standing right there. The smartest option would have been to open it when Joey wasn't in the room, yet she suspected her wife was always going to ensure that she was there to witness this very thing happening.

"You're going to have so much fun squeezing that all back in there when it comes time for the trip home," Joey said with obvious bemusement.

"Somehow I think you'll be getting more enjoyment out of that, than me," Charlie drolly replied.

"Probably." Joey walked over to her wife and leant against her back, her arms circling her waist. "Don't worry, I'll help when the time comes."

"Shouting instructions from the sidelines, no doubt." Charlie turned in her arms and put her arms around Joey.

"Of course," Joey replied with a cheeky grin.

"It's a good thing I find you so adorable or I could cheerfully strangle you at times," Charlie told her.

"I'd prefer you punish me in others ways," she said. "Something requiring a bed, leather."

Charlie's hand flew over Joey's mouth, cutting her off. "Not in dad's house," she squeaked, which just made Joey smile even wider, despite Charlie's hand still being there.

"You are so easy to wind up," teased Joey the moment her wife had removed her hand.

"Yeah but do you have to enjoy doing it so much?" asked Charlie. At the look on her wife's face, she sighed dramatically. "Why did I even bother asking that," she murmured.

* * *

><p>"Do you see that extra empty wine glass on the sink?" Joey whispered to her wife as they stood in Ross' kitchen.<p>

"Yes," she whispered back.

"There's lipstick on it."

"I know."

"If you want to know who drank from that glass," Ross said from across the room, making the two women jump. "Why not just ask me?'

Joey and Charlie smiled with guilty chagrin at each other, both having forgotten that Ross had exceptional hearing.

"Sorry dad," they responded together.

Ross crossed his arms and leant against the edge of the table, his expression more bemused than stern. "So, is one of you girls going to ask me or not?"

Charlie felt a little shove to her back and stepped forward to keep her balance.

"Charlie will," Joey said.

Ross was trying very hard not to laugh at their antics. His daughter had been such a serious child, so it gladdened his heart to see this lighter side to her. For so long he'd worried his daughter would end up like him, consumed by work at the expense of everything else, including happiness. Then Joey had come into her life and along with Ruby, they'd brought his daughter to life and given her a reason to see beyond work and their impact wasn't limited to just his daughter's happiness. His life had been enriched by their presence as well. He adored Joey as if she was his own daughter and Ruby was the grandchild he never believed he'd ever have considering Charlie's previous aversion to any person who wasn't an adult. He loved that little girl dearly and even saw some of his daughter in her mannerism. He could never thank Joey enough for bringing Ruby into their lives and for bringing his daughter ultimate happiness. Sure, they'd had their rocky patch and for a moment or two, he'd feared it would all be lost, yet they'd come through it. He was just so thankful that unlike his own marriage, his daughter had had the strength and faith to believe in her relationship and now they were stronger and happier than ever.

"Go on Charlie, ask him," Joey urged on her wife when Charlie stood there silently.

"You could always ask him," she hissed back.

"Yeah I could, but he's waiting for you," Joey told her.

"Well?" Ross said.

"Yeah Charlie, well?" said Joey.

"Oh I give up," muttered a resigned Charlie to her wife. "Dad, who was here with you earlier?" Charlie eventually asked, even though she had a pretty good idea what his answer was going to be and his next word confirmed it.

"Morag," he replied without hesitation. "We had a light meal and shared a wine."

Her father had dated since his divorce, yet as far as Charlie was aware, he'd never shared a light meal and wine with a woman within the family home. It was always at a restaurant or elsewhere, never here. Of course, it's possible her father didn't want her to know what he was getting up to under his own roof. The moment her mind went there, Charlie allowed herself a quick shudder. That part really wasn't something she wanted to think about too much or at all.

"Dad, are you and Morag dating?" Joey suddenly asked him.

"Honestly girls, I don't know myself where things stand with Morag or if it will lead to something more," he admitted. "The only thing I do know with any certainty, is that I enjoy her company immensely and I'd like to continue spending time with her."

"I don't really know her all that well outside of her legal expertise, but she's been a great help and comfort to Joey since Brax went to jail," Charlie said. "And if you enjoy her company that much dad, then I say go for it."

"Are you giving me your permission to date Morag?" Ross asked with some amusement.

"That's not quite how I meant it," she murmured. "But I guess I just want you to know that I don't have a problem with you dating, dad," she said. "You deserve to be happy and if that's with Morag, then all is good."

"As I said, I don't know where things with Morag are exactly," said Ross. "Though I do certainly intend to find out."

"Perhaps you could invite her over for tea tomorrow," suggested Joey. "I'd been planning on talking to her about Brax while I'm in the city anyway, so why don't we make it a business then family meal kind of thing."

"Yeah," agreed Charlie. "I'd like to get to know her a little better myself."

"I'll call and ask her tomorrow," said Ross. "Now, why don't we retire to the lounge room and you can tell me what that granddaughter of mine has been up to since I last saw her."

"This could take a while," drawled Charlie. Luckily for them though, he hadn't asked that of Ruby earlier. Not even the excitement of seeing her grandfather had been able to keep Ruby's eyes open and she'd gone to bed barely an hour after they had arrived, otherwise she was sure Ruby would have given Ross a blow-by-blow description of everything she had done during their time apart and by everything, she meant every single detail. And no doubt, her father would have loved listening to every word of it.

"I'll make some hot chocolate first," Joey said as Ross started to make his way to the lounge room.

"I'll do that," said Charlie. "You can be the one to tell dad about the wonderful adventures of Ruby," she sweetly said and gave her wife a playful shove forward.

* * *

><p>Charlie smiled as she glanced in the mirror. This ought to do it, she thought. It was still relative early in the night, but after a long day at work and then the drive up here, both she and Joey had decided on an early night. They had the whole weekend ahead of them to catch up with everyone and they intended to do it after a good night's sleep. To ensure that happened, Charlie had taken the added precaution of packing a certain piece of clothing. She smiled again. Yep, there would be no hanky panky extended into the wee hours of the night once Joey got a load of this.<p>

"Oh my god," Joey muttered when Charlie entered the bedroom and she saw her wife's sleeping attire. She recognised it straight away, but not because Charlie wore it all the time. In fact, the moment she'd come home with it, Charlie had been quick to bury it at the back of the cupboard where Joey had hoped it would be long forgotten. It had been a gift from the wife of one of Charlie's senior officers, who had presented it to her as a going away present after she'd accepted the transfer to the Bay. While the wife had had no issue with Charlie being a lesbian, she'd been a strong believer in modesty when it came to clothes. Especially nightwear. Joey still had fond memories of the look on Charlie's face when she'd opened the gift and seen what was in there. It was a powder pink, old-fashioned, long sleeved, down to your ankles style drab affair and quite frankly, the ugliest nightgown Joey had ever seen and the only reason why it hadn't found its way into the Salvo's donation bin, was because it had been a gift. Now she wished she had disappeared it to the Salvos rather than see her wife wearing that monstrosity.

"It's my Joey repellent," Charlie explained when she caught her wife's questioning gaze. "I figured if I wore this, it would kill off any amorous thoughts you might have."

"I think you're forgetting that I know what is waiting for me underneath that hideous piece of cloth and I'd be more determined than ever to dispense with it to get to that amazing body of yours."

"Well, you're not dispensing with it tonight."

"Why not?"

"Do you not remember what happened last time we stayed with dad?"

Joey grinned and wriggled her brows suggestively. "Sex and it was great."

"It was also loud."

"You were the loud one," Joey helpfully reminded her.

"Thanks to my wife moving her mouth from mine at the last moment."

"Usually you don't complain."

"Usually my father isn't within hearing distance," said Charlie. "Joey I love you like crazy, but this is dad's house and it's always felt a little weird getting it on here with you when he's home, even more so since the last time."

"Ok, fair enough," Joey said. "You can make it up to me when we're home."

"You bet."

"So, just to clarify," Joey drawled. "That's a no to having sex tonight?"

"Right, and a no to tomorrow night as well."

"Then you don't want any of this then?" Joey said and casually threw back the covers.

Charlie's hand flew to her eyes. "God Joey, you just had to do that." She peaked through her fingers when she felt the bed move. Joey had reached over and picked up her own nightgown.

"Oh well, your loss," Joey said, sliding it over her head to cover up her nakedness. She was smirking when she climbed back under the covers. Her wife had gotten an eyeful and while sex tonight might be off the menu, she had a feeling that tomorrow night wasn't quite as set in stone now.

"You are going to be the death of me," Joey heard her wife muttering as she snuggled against her.

Yep, definitely not set in stone.

* * *

><p>Bianca raced up the corridor of the hospital. "Where is she Jack?" she demanded to know.<p>

"She's in room 15," he replied. "But you can't go in there."


	95. Chapter 95

"Ok, thanks for letting us know, Bianca," Joey said while Charlie hovered impatiently by her side. Even having heard only one side of the conversation, Charlie knew something significant had happened and no amount of pestering from her had elicited any answers from Joey as of yet.

"Give Georgie our best," Joey said.

"What happened?" Charlie asked the moment the call had ended.

"Georgie collapsed last night and ended up in hospital."

"Oh hell," murmured Charlie. "Is she ok?"

"She's fine," replied Joey. "Turns out she just fainted, but given she's still recovering from a serious accident and she's pregnant, the doctor is being ultra cautious and intends to keep her in hospital for a couple of days so he can keep an eye on her and make sure she's in a stress free environment."

"God, with everything she's had to deal with lately, this is the last thing she needed to happen."

"True," said Joey. "Though it may also end up being a real turning point."

"What do you mean?"

"Apparently she was in the middle of another argument with Jack when she just keeled over," explained Joey. "And so I'm hoping that this scare will make them both realise that their current state of animosity toward each other isn't good for either of them and they'll start dealing with things in a more calmer manner."

"Let's hope so."

* * *

><p>"Joey sends hers and Charlie's best," Bianca told her girlfriend as she climbed back onto the bed and propped herself on the pillows next to Georgie.<p>

"Bianca, you don't have to keep fussing over me," she murmured when Bianca started to straighten up her blanket.

"I can't help it," said Bianca. "I was worried sick last night when I got the call from Jack and until you're out of here, then I'm going to continue to worry about you."

"I'm fine, the baby is fine, I just need to de-stress and stay that way."

"You're so fine that the doctor is keeping you in here."

"Sid is just being over cautious."

"And so am I." Bianca brushed away some of Georgie's hair from her forehead. "You scared me Georgie," she whispered with heavy emotion.

"I know and I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault."

"Jack may have played his part in this, but I was the one who let myself get so worked up with anger that I fainted," she said.

"You know, he's actually been quite reasonable this morning," Bianca told her, then she smiled wryly. "Even after I very nearly thumped him one last night when he stopped me from seeing you."

"You nearly hit Jack?"

She nodded. "I thought he was trying to prevent me from seeing you out of spite, till he explained that it was well past visiting hours and the duty nurse wasn't letting anyone break the rules," she said. "Then I found out he'd actually stayed behind so he could tell me you were ok in person."

"He's been very attentive and considerate since this happened," said Georgie.

"You think his consideration would extend into using his police powers to get my speeding ticket thrown out?" joked Bianca.

"You got a speeding ticket?"

"More like two," she sheepishly admitted.

"Bianca!"

"I couldn't help it, I just needed to get back to you as quickly as I could."

"There's never an excuse for speeding."

"Yes Const Watson," she replied with a cheeky grin and mock salute.

* * *

><p>Joey rolled her eyes at Charlie from across the table and made a yapping gesture with her hand. Charlie grinned back in agreement. For the past half hour, Ruby had been talking. And talking, barely taking a breath as she regaled her grandfather with every exciting thing that had happened to her recently. It didn't seem to matter to her father that Ruby was repeating much of what both she and Joey had filled him in on last night, he was still sitting there, giving Ruby his full and undivided attention. Charlie took a moment to watch her father. Thinking back to her own childhood, she couldn't remember him ever being this patient or attentive with her when she was Ruby's age and to her, it showed that just like herself, her father had grown and mellowed over the years and these days, he really did appreciate his family.<p>

Charlie's brow went up as Ruby added a few embellishments to one of her tales. The girl certainly had a talent for storytelling. God help her and Joey if their daughter resorted to using this talent on them when it came to dating, especially about how great the little pimpled faced ill-mannered bogan-in-the-making boy was in her opinion. Ok, so maybe she was a little biased against potential suitors for her daughter, but she really wasn't looking forward to Ruby discovering boys beyond that of normal friendship. Or girls if that proved to be the case for that matter.

* * *

><p>Unseen by the two women, Jack was by the door, listening in. Last night, he'd seen how panicked Bianca had been as she rushed toward him and today, he was hearing a woman who sounded very much in love. Part of him had wanted to believe that she was one of those lesbians that liked to make a play for straight women, only to lose interest not long after they'd hooked them. He was now willing to concede that wasn't the case here. It really was starting to sink in that Bianca genuinely loved Georgie and his wife returned those feelings. Rather than interrupt them, Jack walked away. He had a lot of thinking to do.<p>

* * *

><p>Charlie sighed as the table cracked up with laughter again. Of course, it was at her expense. As it nearly always seemed to be. At least to her.<p>

"You never mentioned the flour bombing last night, Charlie," her father said between fits of laughter.

"Gee, I wonder why I didn't," she muttered, which just made them laugh even more. "I honestly don't know why you and Ruby are laughing this hard when it's not exactly news to you," she sourly said to her wife. "You witnessed the whole bloody thing."

"It's all about the sharing with others," replied Joey. "And you were the one who called yourself a walking donut, not me."

That sent Ruby off into even more hysterics.

"This is never going to end," Charlie murmured to herself.

* * *

><p>"Dad, are you certain that you really want to be taking Ruby to the zoo today on your own?" Charlie asked him while Ruby was in her room getting ready for her big day out.<p>

"Absolutely, I'm looking forward to it," he replied. "Why do you ask?"

"I'm just wondering if you're prepared for what is ahead of you."

"And just what is ahead of me?"

"Let's see," said Joey. "Ruby will be dragging you around the entire zoo wanting to see every single animal residing there," she said. "Not to mention that she'll be at you for souvenirs and food every chance she can get."

"Joey, I have decades in the Force of dealing with criminals and coppers, so I think I can handle taking a ten year old girl to the zoo."

"Dad, this isn't any ten year old girl we're talking about," Charlie piped back in. "It's Ruby."

"And Ruby is not a ten year old girl?"

"Ruby is a mini-Joey and believe me when I say that she can be a handful."

"Ruby or Joey?"

"Both," replied Charlie. "I'm just warning you dad to be prepared for when she turns those big puppy dog eyes onto you, because I'm betting that you won't be able to say no to anything she asks for when she does," she said.

"I know how to say no," he told her.

Charlie shrugged. "Well, you've been forewarned, so don't come complaining to us when you fall into her trap, especially when it comes to junk food."

"Yeah, Charlie certainly leant her lesson there," chuckled Joey while her wife went a little pale at the reminder of cleaning up vomit.

"I will be fine," Ross confidently said while Charlie and Joey shared a knowing smile. He really had no idea what was about to hit him. "What time are you meeting Nick and his better half?" he asked them.

"Around midday," said Joey. "He'll be sorry to miss catching up with Ruby today."

"Yeah, Nick is going to be absolutely gutted that he missed out on being turned into a big 'ole mushball in front of his girlfriend," Charlie added with a grin.

"Until tomorrow at least," said Joey. "Then he won't have any chance of escaping it."


	96. Chapter 96

"Ooh, those donuts look enticing," Graves said when a dessert trolley was wheeled past their table. The restaurant Joey and Charlie had met up with their friends at was far from being upmarket, but it was quiet, comfortable and the food around them smelt wonderful, not to mention, looked delicious.

"Might have to try one after lunch," added Graves and then she wondered why Joey had started laughing. "Is this some joke about cops and donuts?" she asked.

"More like about a cop who became a donut," giggled Joey.

"Oh god, here we go again," muttered Charlie as her wife enthusiastically filled their friends in. It was so nice to catch up with Nick and Andi again, it was just a shame that this little incident never seemed to be far away. Unfortunately for her, Charlie had come to accept that this was just one of those things that everyone else found amusing and so she'd never be able to forget it. Not even being in a public place would ever save her from this reminder. She rolled her eyes toward the ceiling as the table was filled with laughter.

"I'm so sorry I missed that," said a chuckling Nick. "I'd have loved to have seen the moment where Cruella de Bitch became Frosty the Snow Woman."

"Keep it up and I might just go into that kitchen, grab a few things and then personally demonstrate it to you by turning you into one as well," threatened Charlie, which just sent the table into another fit of giggles. "Hey Joey?"

"Yes dear?"

"You haven't yet told Nick about your little boating accident," Charlie said rather smugly.

"You were in an accident," Nick asked in concern.

"No," said Joey, while Charlie said, "Yes."

"Fair game baby," Charlie whispered to her and wished she'd thought of this last night as a counter to the donut story then. "You see Nick, on this one particular occasion, my darling wife was so enamoured with her mobile phone and thoughts, that she forgot where she was and so ended up too close to the edge and fell off the boat," she informed them in a voice full of amusement. "And according to Aden, her impersonation of a drowned rat was sublime."

"I'm never going to live that down," muttered Joey. She was smiling at Charlie as she said it though. Sometimes it took awhile, but it was always amusing when her wife eventually returned the favour, even if she was the butt of it and for Joey, it meant her wife was totally relaxed and enjoying herself.

* * *

><p>"I wished you'd come to the city with me," Bianca said as she nuzzled her girlfriend's neck. "Mum really wanted to meet the woman who is finally getting me to settle down."<p>

"No offence, but I'm in no rush to meet the inlaw," joked Georgie.

"Why not?"

"Is anyone ever in that sort of a rush?"

"Good point," chuckled Bianca, before pulling away from Georgie. "I guess I should be going now."

"Why?"

"Romeo is going to be here shortly and I'm not sure if sharing your bed is the right look."

"You don't have to leave though," said Georgie. "And you also don't have to stop being so affectionate to me in front of him anymore." She held out her hand and Bianca took it.

"Are you sure?"

She nodded. "Romeo has pretty much accepted that we're a couple and I think it's now time that he started to see us behaving as couples do around other people."

"You mean like this," said Bianca as she leant in for a kiss.

* * *

><p>"How well do you think your dad is surviving his zoo expedition with that little horror of yours?" Nick asked Charlie as they enjoyed their meal.<p>

Charlie glanced at her watch. "Well, they'd be about an hour and half into the visit by now, so I'm guessing he's probably already discovered that dealing with criminals and coppers is in fact a lot easier than dealing with an excited 10 year old girl at a zoo," she drawled.

"I think he'd have figured that out after the first 10 minutes of arriving there," joked Joey. "We did warn him beforehand though, but he wouldn't listen."

"She's not really that bad, is she?" asked Graves. She had little experience with kids and while Nick had spoken quite often and glowingly of the girl, she was still quite nervous about meeting the girl he affectionately called the little horror.

"Ruby's a great girl," replied Nick. "She's just very precocious, inquisitive, hyperactive and for the unsuspecting, she's vary wearying."

"You'll see for yourself tomorrow, Andi," Joey told her.

"Yeah, Ruby is really looking forward to seeing her Uncle Mushball again and meeting you," said Charlie.

"Me?" murmured Graves.

"Oh definitely," Joey said. "You're her Uncle Nick's girlfriend and she's just dying to see what you're like."

Nick lent in closer to his girlfriend as if he was going to be whispering something to her, yet he kept his voice at his normal level. "Watch this Andi," he said. "This is where Charlie will pipe in with something like, 'Ruby will be checking you out to see if you're the best for me' and then Joey will add her little bit and so on, all in an attempt to bluff you out," he explained. "It's like a tag team effort in fun for them."

Graves looked to the two women. They were both grinning in acknowledgement of Nick's words. "How did you ever survive living with them?"

With a long-suffering sigh and to the amusement of the others at the table, Nick said, "I used to ask myself that every single day we shared the same roof."

* * *

><p>"Come on granddad, we'll miss the feeding of the tigers," Ruby yelled as she rushed toward yet another enclosure.<p>

Ross rolled his eyes as he followed. He didn't want to admit it, but he was already starting to tire. Charlie and Joey really hadn't been kidding when they had said Ruby would insist on seeing every single animal in the zoo. Not only that, she had wanted to see them all as quickly as possible. Her energy was amazing, he noted and even if he'd been at the peak physical fitness of his youth, he doubted he'd have been able to keep up with her.

"Oh look granddad, isn't he beautiful," she said when he eventually caught up with her. The tiger really was a rather majestic animal, he thought.

"Oh, they have stuffed toys here as well, granddad."

Ross sighed, already knowing her next words.

"Can we get one?" she asked in her best pleading voice.

* * *

><p>"Wow, you have a boat licence?" said Graves.<p>

Joey nodded. "Yep and now it means I can run the charters on my own if needed."

"You never told me that," Charlie said. "I mean, I knew you were studying for it, just not that you'd already gone for it and passed."

"That's because I had intended to surprise you next weekend with our very own private charter."

"You mean horrify me with you being behind the wheel," Charlie said.

"Here we go again with the digs at my driving ability," said Joey with an exaggerated sigh.

"Am I missing something?" Graves said.

"Let's just say that Charlie likely has some rather harrowing memories of teaching Joey to drive a car," Nick told her.

"Harrowing would be an understatement," Charlie said.

Joey lent in close, her lips practically in her ear and said quietly. "Remember, I did promise to punish you and now you're making me want to do that even more."

"I can't even remember what the punishment was for," Charlie quietly said back to her.

"That doesn't matter anymore, only that it will happen," she whispered. "And I promise you, that once we're out on the deep blue sea with not another soul in sight, I'll be punishing you until you can't scream anymore."

Charlie shivered in anticipation, all fears of Joey driving temporarily pushed aside.

* * *

><p>Georgie sat there smiling as she watched her son and girlfriend playing fish on her legs. Bianca was sitting cross-legged on the bed beside her, with Romeo on her other side. The setting was much more relaxed now after Romeo's visit had gotten off to an interesting start. She had wanted her son to begin getting used to seeing her and Bianca being an affectionate and loving couple, yet having him walk right into the middle of their kiss hadn't exactly been the way she had wanted to start it off. Thankfully though, Jack hadn't made any comment and had simply left, leaving Romeo with them for his visit. Romeo hadn't shown any sign that the kiss he'd witnessed had really bothered him as he'd rushed over to her for a hug. She'd held him tight and assured him over and over again that she was fine.<p>

"Ha, fish," crowed Romeo. He was grinning from ear to ear at having beaten his teacher yet again. Georgie suspected her girlfriend had been taking it a little easy for the first few games and the wink she'd just sent her way was a sign that she was now preparing to play properly. Even then, she only gave Bianca a 50/50 chance at beating her son at cards or maybe more 40/60 since Romeo could be a real little hustler when it came to card games.

* * *

><p>"My parents were a little worried about the age difference between Nick and me," Graves said when she found herself alone with Charlie at the table while Joey visited the bathroom and Nick took a call in private. "But once they met Nick, they realised what a great guy he was and how well-matched to each other we were."<p>

"Wow, he's already met the parents," said Charlie with a grin. "It must be serious then."

"Yep. Serious and unexpected," she said. "I really wasn't looking for love, preferring to focus on my career for the time being, but then I met Nick and now it's all changing."

"I know what that feels like," Charlie said. "I had my entire career all mapped out ahead of me until I hit this massive road bump."

"Joey?" guessed Graves.

Charlie nodded. "Falling in love changed everything and ever since then, my career has taken a very different path to the one I'd originally envisaged," she said.

"But you love the change of direction you took, don't you?"

"Never in a million years did I ever expect to marry and have a kid or find myself choosing to be posted to a small country station, but I sure as hell wouldn't change any of it now," replied Charlie. "Don't get me wrong, my career is still very important to me, it's just that I've learnt to compromise and prioritise what is truly important to me and I'm all the happier for it."

"I guess compromises and priorities are an important part of any serious relationship, especially if you want it to last," she murmured.

"Andi, is there something bothering you?" asked Charlie.

"Nick wants kids."

"And kids aren't in your future?"

"No, I do want kids," she answered without hesitation. "It's just that it has always been my plan to establish myself in my career first and so hold off on kids until my mid-30's at least," she said. "And in my mind, that hasn't really changed."

"You don't really sound too sure about that."

"Charlie, I know with absolute certainty that I'm not ready to start a family or even get married just yet," she said. "It's what Nick wants to happen with us, that is what I'm uncertain about."

"Andi, a word of advice from someone who learnt the hard way," said Charlie. "And that is to know how important communication is to a relationship and to realise that even when you think all is going well, you still need to be talking to each other about things."

"In other words, I need to talk to Nick about this."

"It's just a suggestion."

"A very good one," she murmured. "I love Nick, Charlie and I don't want to blow this."

"I don't think you have to worry too much about that," Charlie told her. "I've never seen Nick so happy and that's because of you."

Graves blushed bashfully. "He makes me incredibly happy as well."

* * *

><p>"Bye mum," Romeo said as he gave her another hug. Then he turned shyly toward Bianca and gave her a brief hug. "Bye Bianca."<p>

"Bye Romeo."

"I'll bring him back tomorrow, Georgie," Jack said to her.

"Thank you Jack."

Without another word, he gave them a slight nod and led Romeo out.

"Was that a little weird with Jack just then?" murmured Bianca.

"A little."

"It almost felt like there was some acceptance of us there with him."

"I hope so," said Georgie. Since Jack was temporarily moving back into the house to take care of Romeo while she was stuck in here and as considerate as Jack had been since her collapse, she was hoping it was because he was coming around to the idea of her and Bianca and not because he was planning to use this as proof she wasn't up to taking care of their son. She hated thinking the worst of him, but on his recent behaviour, she couldn't help it.

"I hope Jack does come to completely accept us soon," Bianca said. "It would certainly make everything a lot easier." She stood and stretched her legs.

"Are you going now?"

"Not unless you want me to."

"It's just that you've been stuck in this room all day."

"And I'd happily be stuck in here with you all night if I could," she told her. "Georgie, I want to spend all the time I can with you. In fact, I have four weeks annual leave owing and I'm taking it so I can look after you."

"You don't need to do that," Georgie said.

"I know I don't have to, but I want to."

"Why don't you just move in as well," said Georgie.

"Please don't tease me like that," Bianca replied.

"Who's teasing?"

Bianca stared at her wide-eyed. "You mean, you really do want me to move in with you?"

"It probably wasn't the best way to ask you, but yeah, I want to spend every night by your side, and wake up every morning with you."

"I thought you wanted to be independent," Bianca said, trying to hide her excitement.

"For a short time, but you're already over most nights anyway and in all honestly, I hate every second that you're not there with me."

"Georgie, if I move in, I'm never going to want to leave," Bianca warned her. "So I'm going to ask you this just once. Do you really want me to move in with you?"

With anyone else, she'd feel like they were moving way too fast, yet it felt so right with Bianca and so Georgie had no hesitation in saying, "Yes. Bianca, I already know that I want to spend the rest of my life with you and so I just don't see the point of us in delaying moving in together any longer. Life is just too short to waste."

"God I love you so much right now."

* * *

><p>"Well, at least you said no to too much junk food," murmured Joey. Ross had just over compensated the other way<p>

"I hope this all fits in the car," murmured Charlie as she took in the rather impressive pile of souvenirs, from stuffed toys to hats and t-shirts. There was so much they could just about start their own zoo.

"Ruby can leave them all here for when she visits," Ross suggested. He'd willingly admitted that he'd succumbed to his granddaughter's whims and gone overboard, yet the way Ruby's face had lit up with wonder at every new animal she saw, had made buying all these memories for her worth it.

"Can I take this one home with me though?" pleaded Ruby. It was the biggest toy there, noted Charlie, as did her wife.

"You can bring the giraffe, but only if it fits in the back seat without us having to leave you behind," said Joey. "Now Ruby, why don't you go and take a nap before Mrs Bellingham arrives for tea."


	97. Chapter 97

Charlie walked up behind her wife and put her arms around her waist. Joey had been relatively silent ever since she'd spoken to Morag about her brother. "Hey, are you ok?" she asked.

Joey sighed and lent back against her. "I guess I was hoping that Brax had changed his mind about seeing me."

"Joey, it's barely been a month and I'm sure he will eventually change his mind, just give him some more time," Charlie assured her. "Until then, we just have to abide by his wishes."

"You know, part of me wants Brax to turn on those other bastards so he can get a reduced sentence, yet the other part of me is terrified of what might happen if he did," murmured Joey. "Look what happened when I chose to testify against equally as dangerous people."

"You met me."

"Yeah, but you could have died that day at the courthouse, same with Joel Nash and Andi." Joey sighed again. "I get that Brax is trying to protect those he loves, I just wish he didn't have to suffer for it."

"You heard Morag, he's actually doing ok and is adapting to life inside."

"I'm not sure if I like the idea of my brother adapting to life in jail."

"I know it doesn't sound ideal to get used to such a life, but fitting in will make it easier in the long run for him."

"And then when he gets out, he's going to have to adapt to normal life again," said Joey. "If he can," she muttered. "I mean, you hear about those people who become institutionalised and can never readapt to life outside."

"That's not going to happen with Brax, because he will have people around to support him."

Joey looked down at the letter Morag had handed to her. It was from Tegan. She and Casey had found a nice little town where they felt safe and were moving ahead with their lives. Joey was happy for them. They deserved it and knowing they were doing better, would likely help Brax to live with his decision, since his silence was to ensure their safety and happiness.

"Do you want a bit more time alone or should we rejoin the others?" Charlie gently enquired.

"I don't really want to spend more time wallowing, so let's get back to the others," she said. "I just hope I don't put a dampener on tea for everyone else."

"Joey, we're going to have Battleship Bellingham and the Little Horror seated at the same table," said Charlie. "I don't think anything can put a dampener on this meal."

"Speaking of which," Joey said. "That little horror of ours seems remarkable quiet since Morag arrived."

"She had a big day at the zoo," reasoned Charlie. "Come on, let's go and eat."

* * *

><p>"I still can't believe that we're going to be living together," murmured Bianca as she lay snuggled against Georgie on the bed.<p>

"You don't think we're rushing into it, do you?"

"Like you said earlier, our future is together and so there's little point in delaying what we both want." She cupped her girlfriend's face. "And I want to be with you in every way."

"In every way might not be appropriate in a hospital bed," quipped Georgie and Bianca grinned.

"I still have so much to show you."

"I can't wait."

"You might have to," said Bianca. "I don't want you getting too excited that you faint on me again."

"Ha ha, very funny."

"Maybe it's not so funny," she said. "You have to look out for yourself Georgie."

"I intend to." She squeezed Bianca's hand. "And I have a feeling I'm going to have a certain someone standing at my side to make sure I do."

"Damn right I will be," Bianca told her. She settled back by her side. "Georgie, do you think Romeo will be ok with this news?"

"With all that has already happened, he seems to be accepting it all quite well," she said. "And on top of everything else, I somehow don't think that you moving in will come as that much of a surprise to Romeo."

"Yeah, you're right. Kids can be far more intuitive than we sometimes give them credit for." She did wonder though, if Romeo's acceptance toward all the recent changes in his life had anything to do with his mother nearly dying in that accident and that after nearly losing her forever, he just wanted her to be happy, no matter what.

* * *

><p>"Dad deserves a medal for surviving such a torturous safari as he undertook today," Charlie said as they tucked into their meal.<p>

"Oh, where did you go?" Morag asked Ross.

"I took my granddaughter to the zoo," he answered.

"And then he brought half the zoo back with them," said Charlie.

"Thankfully that zoo was of the stuffed variety," added Joey.

Recalling the menagerie of toys she'd seen in the other room, Morag suddenly understood where they all had come from. Ross' rueful expression told her the rest. She rather liked the idea that the sometimes gruff Ross Buckton could be so easily swayed by a precocious child and that beneath the gruffness, there was actually a big softy. And not just with his granddaughter. Throughout the meal, she'd noticed the way he interacted with the other two women in his life. There was genuine love and respect there, which was in stark contrast to her adversarial relationship with her own daughter, Bobby. The problem for her and her daughter was that they were too alike and neither knew how to give ground, so they just kept butting heads. One day she hoped that would change.

"I still don't know how you even got all that stuff back here, dad," Charlie said and Morag shook herself from her thoughts to pay attention to the others.

"There are advantages to having a four wheel drive," he said. "And stuffed toys are relatively squishable."

"See that's our problem Charlie, we need a bigger car," concluded Joey.

"Yeah, so we can buy even more junk to squeeze in," she said. "Face it Joey, a bigger car would become just like a bigger handbag," Charlie explained. "You would just end up finding even more things to shove in there and then you'd be right back to where you were before; in need of an upsize yet again."

"True and you'd know all about putting in way too much stuff," said Joey in a less than subtle reminder to Charlie about her suitcase. "Plus, whenever we go shopping, you're never able to say no to anything in the same way I am." She grinned at her wife. "You lack the willpower to resist anything that is even slightly tempting."

Charlie lent in close and whispered low enough so only Joey could hear her. "Yet I resisted my very naked and alluring wife's rather flagrant attempts to seduce me last night."

"Damn, good point," muttered Joey.

* * *

><p>Georgie groaned in disappointment when Bianca moved off the bed. "I wish you didn't have to go."<p>

"I wish I didn't have to either," Bianca said. "But unfortunately, the nurses around here seem intent on enforcing the rules on visiting hours and they're quite stringent on it."

"I think the nurses do more patrols than us coppers ever do."

"Sounds like the footsteps of one heading this way right now." Bianca lent over her girlfriend and kissed her gently on the lips. "I'll be back first thing in the morning."

"I really hate the prospect of sleeping alone again," Georgie bemoaned.

"Keep me in your thoughts and I'll never really be far away from you."

"You're always in my thoughts," murmured Georgie. "And in my dreams."

"And you're always in mine." They kissed again until the nurse walked in and shooed Bianca away.

* * *

><p>"We're catching up with Nick and Andi again tomorrow, since Ruby didn't get the chance to see them today," Joey told Morag. "I'm kind of bummed though that our other friend, Shannon is out of town. I'd have loved to have caught up with her as well."<p>

"We will try to arrange something with Shannon the next time we're in town," Charlie assured her wife, while trying not to laugh every time she caught Ruby's expression out of the corner of her eye. She'd been wrong earlier when she told Joey that nothing could put a dampener on Battleship vs Horror. The poor girl obviously didn't quite know how to take Morag. No surprise really. Some of the worst criminals and hardest coppers had been known to wilt before Morag and it appeared her daughter could be added to that list. In fairness to Ruby though, she had had a big day out and despite taking a nap before Morag had arrived, it was clear that Ruby was very tired. Her eyes were almost in danger of drooping while she ate her dessert. Still, a quiet and subdued Ruby during tea was always a blessing. Look out tomorrow though, for she had a feeling that Ruby would be back to her usual exuberant self the moment she saw Nick.

* * *

><p>"I really like Morag," Joey said as she climbed into bed next to her wife.<p>

"Yeah, she's nice."

"She's also not as stern as she likes to make out she is."

"You reckon?" said Charlie. "I thought poor Ruby was going to disappear into her seat at one stage under Morag's watchful gaze."

"It's all for show," Joey confidently said. "I saw the odd sparkle in her eyes when she realised how Ruby saw her and she played up to it."

"I almost felt sorry for Ruby."

"Our daughter was a little off her game tonight, but I'm sure that the next time she sees Morag, she'll be more adventurous."

"Yeah, nothing keeps Ruby down for long," Charlie said as she slapped her wife's errant hand away.

Joey sighed dramatically. "Are you still stuck on the whole _no sex in dad's house_ rule?" she mournfully said. Despite the resistance last night, she'd been hoping it wasn't set in stone, yet it now appeared as if her wife was still planning on being stubborn on the matter. However, she wasn't yet ready to give up. "I could always put a muzzle on you if all you're worried about is the noise."

Charlie shook her head. "This time, it isn't about the noise."

"Oh, if it's not the noise, then why the ban on sex?"

With a smirk, Charlie rolled over to face her wife. "Because my dear, I have even more of a point to prove after that gibe about my lack of willpower."

"Awww," whined Joey.

Her wife really was adorable when she went into full pout mode and it was a good thing Joey had no idea how incredibly hard it was for her to resist her, but Charlie was determined to hold firm. "Sorry Joey, it's your own fault."

"Aww," she whimpered, her lip quavering. Joey really didn't know how to play fair at all, concluded Charlie.

"Be a dear and turn the light off when you're ready," Charlie said to her and turned over before she caved in.

"Our boat trip next weekend is going to be so much fun, isn't it Charlie?" Joey sweetly said as she turned the light off.

This time it was Charlie's turn to whimper.


	98. Chapter 98

"Ruby, we're only going to the park, so you're not going to need all those things," Charlie told her daughter.

"But I want to show Uncle Nick all the toys granddad got me at the zoo," whined Ruby.

"She gets that whine from Charlie," Joey informed her father-in-law as they watched the unfolding standoff from the other side of the room. It had been going back and forth between parent and child for a good few minutes already.

Charlie crossed her arms, mimicking the stance Ruby had taken and gazed down at the child. "We are not carting all those toys Ruby."

"I bet Charlie caves," Ross firmly stated to Joey.

"I bet she doesn't," replied Joey. "She has amazing willpower at times."

"That's not what you were saying yesterday."

"That was then," she said. Before Charlie had somehow survived two nights of resisting her advances. "This is now." Joey grinned at him. "And I did say it was at times," she pointed out. "Charlie can still fold into a heap in some situations, but I firmly believe that this will be one of those rare occasions where I know she'll come out on top. It's the look in her eyes," Joey explained, just as she and Ross suddenly felt piercing blue eyes on them.

"That look?" said Ross.

"Nah, it was the one before that said _I have an idea on how to deal with Ruby's stubbornness _look," she quipped and smiled sweetly at her wife.

"Hey, can we lay off the commentary for a moment?" asked Charlie.

"See, it's the same whine."

Rolling her eyes at her wife, Charlie returned her attention to Ruby.

"Please Charlie, can we take them?"

"No," she said.

"But Uncle Nick will want to see them though."

God, it was like dealing with Joey at times, thought Charlie as her daughter gifted her with her own version of the Collins' quavering lip. Yep. She was Joey's kid through and through and just like her mum, she didn't play fair. Yet while that curly mop and child's eyes with a tinge of fake tears threatening to well in the corners might be a little harder to resist, given her current audience, Charlie had to do this.

"Please Charlie," Ruby appealed to her once more.

"If all you want to do is show Nick your toys, then I have an idea," she said. "Why don't you line all the toys up and we'll take some photos of them. That way, Nick can have his own copies."

Ruby took all of two seconds to consider that idea. "Ok," she yelled and she flew from the room to do just that.

Charlie turned at the clapping coming from the other side of the room and took a bow. "Situation defused."

"Well done," Joey said.

"Well played," Ross said.

Grinning, Charlie walked over to her wife. "You have a very strange effect on Bucktons," she said. "Even dad is beginning to succumb to the Collins effect and become like you."

"Beginning?" scoffed Joey. "Oh please, he succumbed the moment he met me and Ruby."

Ross shrugged. "She might be right."

Charlie laughed and gathered her wife in her arms. "You girls drive me nuts, but I love ya both anyway."

"Gee, thanks."

* * *

><p>"Georgie, can we talk alone?"<p>

Both his wife and Bianca were surprised by Jack's words. Not so much at his request, as they knew they needed to talk eventually, but it was more the conciliatory tone to his request. There was none of the usual demand or challenge in his voice that had been there lately.

Bianca looked to her girlfriend, who nodded it was ok.

"I'll be nearby," she told Georgie.

"Can you keep an eye on Romeo for an hour or so?" he asked Bianca as she walked past him.

"Of course," she said, then in a quieter voice, she added. "You upset her and I'll run you out of here myself."

"She's rather protective of you," he said when he and Georgie were alone.

"Because she loves me."

"So I'm starting to realise."

"What is it you wanted to talk to me about?"

He grabbed one of the chairs from the corner and sat it next to the bed. "I wanted to apologise for my behaviour," he said, much to Georgie's surprise. "Both for my recent behaviour and for Martha."

* * *

><p>"UNCLE NICK!"<p>

Charlie winced as her eardrums threatened to burst, while Nick's face was flaming as everyone in hearing distance in the park, which considering the strength of Ruby's bellow, was quite a few people, turned their attention to the little figure darting across the grass to launch herself onto the clearly embarrassed man.

"Oof," groaned Nick as he caught a handful of child in his arms, Ruby's forehead knocking his chin. She didn't notice though as she planted a sloppy kiss onto his red cheek.

He glared at his girlfriend, whose mouth was hidden behind her conveniently placed hand. He knew she was laughing at him, because her eyes were dancing playfully.

"Yes, I'm happy to see you too Ruby," he said, giving her an equally sloppy kiss on her cheek.

"I missed you Uncle Nick."

"I missed you to Squirt."

By now he was sporting that goofy grin on his face that Charlie had known would be there when he saw Ruby, even if he had no idea and would deny it if they told him.

"Who is she?" asked Ruby, her eyes firmly fixed on the woman beside him.

"Ruby, this is Andi, my girlfriend."

Joey could tell that their newest friend was nervous as she awaited the appraisal of Ruby, since Andi was well aware of how important Ruby was in Nick's life. Her daughter must have seen something she liked though as she eyed Andi up and down, because she made Nick set her down, then she grabbed Andi's hand and dragged her toward the play area of the park.

"Aren't you going to rescue her?" Charlie suggested to Nick when he hung back with them.

"Not just yet," he said rather gleefully. "Thanks to you two, I've had to put up with plenty of ribbing from Andi about my behaviour around Ruby." He smirked. "Now it's her turn."

* * *

><p>"You were always my rock Georgie, even if I never made you feel like it," Jack was explaining to her. "You have always been my constant."<p>

"You mean, I have always been there for you regardless of whether you were there for me or not," said Georgie.

"Yeah, I suppose that's accurate," he murmured. "Then when you told me it was over, I felt like my foundation had been yanked from beneath me and I found myself floundering and lost and rather than look at my own behaviour, I took it out on you and said a lot of things I didn't mean," he said. "I am so sorry for that and for being angry at you." He reached for her hand. "I was so scared when you collapsed. Our baby could have died and it just hit home what a prick I'd been," Jack told her. "I really have been a lousy husband these past few years."

"And I haven't been much of a wife in that time either," she said. "Jack, we both share fault in the mess we made of things, but let's face it, it's not that surprising it all ended this way and not just because of my sexuality. Right from the start, we married for the wrong reasons," she explained. "I don't regret having Romeo for one second, yet we both know that if I hadn't had gotten pregnant, then there wouldn't have been a marriage and we'd have gone our separate ways long ago."

"We tried though, right?"

"Yeah, we did and we were even happy for a time," she said. "It just wasn't meant to be."

"And now it's over and you're with a woman."

"I wish I'd accepted this about myself so much earlier than I did," Georgie told him. "But I just wasn't ready to face any of it."

"I guess I can understand that, given your background," he said. "Do your parents know about Bianca and the baby?"

"Honestly, I'm not sure if I really want to deal with them," she said. "They'd just find a way to criticise me for getting pregnant or for being gay, even though I know they have no problem with gay people. Nothing I've done has ever been good enough for them."

"They've always been wrong about you, but then, so have I," he said. "Especially now."

"I'm still the same person Jack."

He shook his head. "You're not really," he said. "There is a strength and confidence in you I have never seen before and if I was meeting you for the first time, I'd definitely be attracted to you."

"Don't tell Bianca that," she joked and he grinned.

* * *

><p>Joey was trying not to laugh as Ruby showed every single picture of every single toy animal to Nick and he was doing everything possible to pretend he was the long-suffering, doting uncle who was being forced to endure slide night. Joey could tell that he was loving every second of it though.<p>

"Uncle Mushball does seem appropriate," Graves murmured to her. "He's great with her."

"Yeah and Ruby is really lucky to have Nick in her life," she said. "Aden and Geoff are wonderful with her, but Nick was there for her and for me, at a time when Aden couldn't be and he's become very special to all of us."

"He always speaks so fondly of all three of you," said Graves. "Nick calls you his girls." She smiled at her. "Good thing I'm not the jealous type with him having all these girls in his life."

Joey had a little chuckle at that. "He's definitely safe from Charlie and me," she said. "Ruby in another 15 years, well, who knows with that daughter of mine."

This time it was Graves who had a chuckle. "Ruby might get ideas, but she'll always be the little horror and squirt to him," she said. "I confess, I was a little worried about meeting her after everything I had heard about her from you guys and Nick."

"Yeah, I'm sorry for teasing you like that."

"No you're not."

"Yeah, you're right, I'm not."

They both chuckled again.

"Is Ruby going to be a cop when she grows up?" asked Graves.

"Why do you ask?"

"Because of the way she was firing off question after question when she dragged me away before," she replied. "It was like being in the interrogation room, only I was on the other side for a change and I reckon she got more of my life story in that ten minutes than some would in my entire lifetime."

"That's a pretty good sign that she likes you and approves of you for her Uncle Mushball," Joey informed her. "As to her being a cop." Joey glanced over to her daughter. "It wouldn't surprise me in the least if she followed the Buckton family tradition of joining the Force. Charlie always says that she's Collins through and through, but Charlie has left her own imprint on Ruby too and so there's a lot of Buckton under that curly mop of hair."

"Then God help the poor sod who tries to win her heart," Graves said in good humour.

* * *

><p>"I'm sorry about Martha," Jack said. "I should have told you about her a long time ago, instead of being a coward and sneaking around."<p>

"Well, I guess now you don't have to sneak around and you and she can be open about it all."

"Nah, Martha and I are done," he said. "Can't say I blame her after the way I led her on for so long. I don't deserve her."

"There's no chance?"

"Maybe if I grovelled like crazy," he said. "But I'm not so sure that would be the best way to start a relationship. Besides, there's already enough baggage with our affair." He shrugged. "I blew it and now it's probably best for the both of us to start afresh with other people."

"You are a good guy Jack, I'm sure there is a woman out there for you."

"I am sort of seeing someone now," he admitted. "I don't see it going anywhere. There's no real connection beyond the sex."

* * *

><p>"Charlie, I really wanted to thank you for the advice yesterday," Graves said to her while the other three were off to buy ice creams. "I spoke to Nick last night to see if we were on the same page about marriage and kids and we are."<p>

"I'm glad you both talked it over." A part of Charlie had been a little worried her advice might have caused the younger woman to have second thoughts about being with Nick. She was glad to be proven wrong.

"Yeah, we're both really committed to the relationship and to making it work and communication is going to be a big part of that."

"And kids?"

"Most definitely in our future and not as far off as they once were," she replied. "I made that whole no kids till my mid-30's plan, before I'd even really gotten started in the Force and after talking to you yesterday, I realised that I'm already well ahead of where I had expected to be at this stage in my career," she explained. "And now, seeing Nick with Ruby, I know he's going to make a great father, but as much as I love him and want to have children with him, I'm just not yet ready for motherhood. At the same time though, my mid-30s are nearly a decade away and I certainly don't want to wait that long anymore, so I figure it's going to be more like 3 or 4 years away and Nick is content to wait until I'm ready," she told her. "No doubt, somewhere in that time frame, we'll even get married, but for the moment, we're both really happy as things are. You know what Charlie, now that we know where we stand on marriage and kids, it even feels kind of liberating in a way."

"That really is great, Andi."

"Yeah, it is, but it's also a little weird to have even been talking about all of this," she said. "Nick and I haven't even been together for a year, yet we're already living together and talking marriage and babies." She shook her head in bemusement.

"Sometimes your heart just instinctively knows that you've found the one, even if your head doesn't recognise it at first."

"Like you and Joey?" said Graves. "I kind of wish I'd seen those really early encounters between you two, because Nick's recaps of those days are hilarious."

"Not sure if Joey and I found it so funny at the time," murmured Charlie. "From day one, we just seemed to butt heads and I honestly never expected to like her, let alone fall in love with her and then be so willing to play step mum to her daughter."

"Well obviously, you just hadn't yet recognised at the time, that you'd found the one."

"Touche," said Charlie.

* * *

><p>"You really do love Bianca, don't you?"<p>

"Very much. She's a wonderful woman and she loves me and when I'm with her, I finally feel complete," Georgie told him. "That's no reflection on you Jack or our marriage, it's just that I've finally found who I am and it makes me happy in a way I never have been before."

"Seeing you with a woman is still going to take a bit of getting used to," he admitted.

"I can certainly understand that," she said. This seemed as good a time as any to get this over with, she thought. "Jack, there is something I need to tell you. I've asked Bianca to move in with me."

"Isn't that rushing things a little?"

"Yeah it is," she freely admitted. "But we love each other and our future is together, so all we're really doing is rushing the inevitable." She stared at him. "You have a problem with that?"

"I'd be lying if I said I didn't," he replied honestly. "Everything really is moving and changing so fast Georgie, I can barely keep up."

"Yeah, I know."

"But we share a son and have a new baby on the way and we're going to have to deal with this," he said. "So, how exactly are we going to do this?"

"I want you to play as big a part of this baby's life as you do with Romeo, but this time, we're going to have to raise this baby from separate homes and so, we're going to need to come up with some sort of arrangement that is beneficial to all of us," she said. "I don't want you to feel left out in any way where the kids are concerned Jack."

"I'm sure we can come up with something that is best for the kids, yet fair to us all ," he said. "And I'd like to have a proper talk to Bianca, since she's going to be so involved in my kids lives," he said. "I want to get to know her better."

"I warn you, she speaks her mind."

"Yeah, I kind of got that feeling already," he said with a chuckle. Jack stood and bent over, brushing his lips over hers. "You're the mother of my children and I will always care for you, Georgie."

"And I you."

* * *

><p>"Ruby, say goodbye to Nick and Andi," Joey told her.<p>

"Don't wanna," she moped, her feet firmly planted on the ground to indicate she had no intention of moving from that spot.

"Here we go again," murmured Charlie. It was always the same. Ruby was always so full of life around Nick, only to then forget she was a big girl of 10 and become sad and unruly when it came time to say goodbye.

"You'll be seeing them again soon," Joey reasoned.

"And we can always Skype," Graves suggested.

"Can we?" a suddenly excited Ruby asked.

"Of course we can," said Nick, pleased his girlfriend had made that idea. He was so happy to see two of his favourite girls hit it off so well. "It won't be every day though Ruby, because we're very busy, but we can definitely try to Skype at least once every week."

"Thank you Uncle Nick."

Nick found himself being strangled in another Ruby special. "I'm going to miss you Squirt," he said in a slightly choked up voice. "And until we see each other again, I want you to be a good girl for your parents."

"I will." She finally let him breathe again, before subjecting Graves to the same.

Charlie grinned at her wife. They both knew that look on their young friend's face. They'd seen it many a time. It was a 'what the hell have I gotten myself into' kind of look.

"Bye Aunty Andi," Ruby said to her.

"Aunty?" she mouthed to Joey.

"You've been officially adopted by the Little Horror," Joey gleefully informed her. "You're all hers now."

"Now I know what Nick meant," she muttered, to everyone's amusement.

With hugs and kisses exchanged between the four friends, they said their final goodbyes and went their separate ways.

"This has been a great day," Joey said to Charlie as they followed Ruby back to their car.

"Yeah, it has been," said Charlie. "I suppose we should head back to dad's and pack for our trip home."

"More fun times ahead then, with you and your too small a suitcase."

"Not really," she said. "I intend to leave some clothes behind for the next time we visit."

"Oh god, you're as bad as Ruby now."

"I guess I am."

"You're just as loveable as her as well."

"And in other ways, right?"

"Not for the last two nights, you haven't been," Joey told her. "In fact, I think it might be time for Officer Friendly to pay another visit and teach you a lesson."

Charlie felt a sudden tingle between her legs in anticipation of her impending visit from her ever friendly officer. It was going to be a hell of a long trip home while in this state of arousal.


	99. Chapter 99

Charlie stifled her yawn as she drew the car up to the front of the Station for the start of a new workday. She was still feeling a little wired from yesterday, because unfortunately for her, between her dad talking them into staying a little longer and then a flat tyre on the way home, Officer Friendly had been too knackered to make an appearance and so had she been. After carrying Ruby up to bed and tucking her in, she had gone to her own room and simply collapsed onto the bed beside Joey. Snuggling was about as far as they got and while she had slept like the dead, she had still been tired when she woke this morning. Being a combination of tired and wired was certainly going to make for an interesting day.

Just as she was about to get out of the car, her phone beeped. Pulling her phone out, she saw that Joey had sent her a message and picture.

"Hi, from Officer Friendly," Charlie read, before opening the photo. "Fuck me," she murmured when she saw the selfie Joey had sent.

Her wife was standing in front of the full-length mirror of their bathroom. She was in a black garter belt with see through panties, black stilettos and one of Charlie's old police shirts, which was undone and draped in a way to best show off the black lace bra. She wore a police cap at an angle and swinging from the utility belt in place of the truncheon, was a dildo. Fake cocks didn't play a big part in their love life, yet the times they did, Charlie was always left screaming and exhausted. In the best possible way.

Charlie shook her head. This is what she got for having will power in denying Joey for the whole weekend. That little brat was going to make her pay. She grinned suddenly. That payment was going to be epic. Deleting the photo, she fired back a response. "So hot baby and everyone else agrees."

"Everyone else?" was the quick reply.

"Opened it at work."

"Ha, v funny."

"Sexting illegal, will arrest u later," Charlie sent back.

"Will b waiting w/ cuffs."

Chuckling, Charlie sent back a goodbye message, grabbed her gear and stepped from the car. There was an extra spring to her step as she walked inside, that hadn't been there before.

* * *

><p>"I'm glad to see that you're feeling much better now," Joey was telling Georgie as they caught up with each other. "How long do you have to stay in here for?"<p>

"Sid says I can leave later today," she replied. "I guess having Bianca's love and support and Jack letting go of his anger, has helped to ease my stress levels a lot."

"Wow, so you and Jack have spoken?"

"Yeah, he was pretty shaken up after I collapsed and it got him to thinking," she said. "He came in yesterday to apologise for his behaviour, both recently and during our marriage. After I also apologised for mine, we finally had a proper talk and it was nice," Georgie told her. "We accept that we both contributed to our marriage breakdown and now we're trying to come up with an arrangement that is beneficial for all of us, especially the kids." She smiled wryly. "Neither of us has any idea what the hell that arrangement will be just yet."

"Well, you've done the hard part and that is to stop the shouting and just talk to each other."

"Thank god," she murmured. "I realise it's not going to be all sunshine and roses all of a sudden and there are likely to be occasions where we'll butt heads and disagree," she said. "And that he also needs more time to get used to seeing me with Bianca as a couple, but for the first time since I told Jack about Bianca, I feel like the worst of it is now behind us."

"That has to be a relief to you all."

"Definitely," she said. "And I'm going to make damn sure I don't let it get to this point again. I guess I was just so happy to finally be with Bianca and be open about who I am, that I hadn't actually realised just how stressed and close to collapse, I was by this all."

"It can sneak up on you like that," said Joey.

"Yeah and I have a very protective girlfriend to help ensure it doesn't sneak up again," she said. "And having a soon-to-be ex husband willing to be accommodating, instead of adversarial will also help." She smiled. "You know, after that talk yesterday, I think Jack and I are going to be much better as friends and co-parents, than we ever were as husband and wife."

"It's funny how things sometimes work out for the better, even if you don't realise it at first."

"It does seem like that and now that Jack finally realises that Bianca and I are serious about our relationship, I'm hoping it's going to help him move on himself," said Georgie. "Not with Martha though. Apparently they're over and he's seeing someone new, though he doesn't think it will go anywhere," she told Joey. "In a way, I'm kind of glad that he's no longer with Martha, at least for Romeo's sake. Seeing them together that time really shook him up and I think this decision by Jack will help him to reconnect with Romeo."

"I admit I wasn't exactly a fan of Jack's throughout all of this, but the one thing I never doubted, was his love for his son."

"Romeo means the world to him and I don't like to see this distance between them," she admitted. "I don't want them to end up having a relationship like I have with my parents."

"That won't happen," Joey told her. "For a start, both son and father love each other and I'm sure this is just a small hitch in their relationship. One I'm certain they both want to fix."

"Yeah, they do," she said. "Jack was staying in the house with Romeo while I'm in here, so hopefully they've already started on that."

Joey regarded her friend for a moment, and gave her a bemused smile. "Wow, despite you ending up in hospital, it seems like you had quite a productive weekend."

"It has been pretty good in the end," she said. "The next test to get through though, is Jack wanting to get to know Bianca better."

"Hope he's prepared to be brought up short if he puts a foot wrong with her where you're concerned."

"He's already been forewarned."

Joey laughed at the silly grin now on her friend's face. "Ah Bianca, your ever protective white knightess."

"She really does complete me Joey," she said dreamily. "I have never felt this way before, never even dreamt it was possible to feel so much love for someone, other than for my son."

"That's how I feel about Charlie."

* * *

><p>Charlie looked up when she saw a shadow on her desk. Jack was standing there, holding out a coffee to her. "Thanks," she said, taking the surprising gesture.<p>

"It's kind of a peace offering/apology coffee," Jack told her.

"Well thanks again, I needed this," said Charlie. "I heard about Georgie ending up in hospital."

"Yeah, that was a bit of a scare," he said. "She and the baby are doing well now though, so that's a relief and also the wakeup call I needed. Their continued health is far more important than my wounded ego."

Sensing he wanted to talk some more, she indicated the chair opposite her. Jack sat.

"Look Charlie, I really am sorry for acting like such a jackass around here lately and for the nasty things I've been saying," he said. "I was foolishly acting out and I've assured Peter that my head is in a better place now and that I'm ready to do my job properly and act like a professional."

"I'm glad Jack," said Charlie. "And I'm sorry if you thought I'd taken sides in all of this."

"You were placed into an awkward spot, I get that now," replied Jack. "I also know I made a mess of things Charlie, both before and after Georgie ended our marriage," he said. "I'm definitely not proud of my behaviour and I've already apologised to Georgie over it. In fact, we had quite a nice talk yesterday."

"That's good news Jack."

"Yeah, I can't deny that it's still all a bit of a shock, but I'm starting to realise that it is probably all for the best. We were happy together once, just not anymore and so perhaps it is time to just move on, instead of making our lives a misery by trying to pretend it could still work. That's not what either of us need and it certainly isn't what Romeo needs," he told her. "For too long, I have used my son as an excuse for staying with Georgie, when it was really cowardice on my part. I've been married my whole adult life, Charlie, and the idea of going it alone was scary, so I held onto a loveless marriage like a crutch. Don't get me wrong, I do love Georgie, I always will, I'm just not in love with her anymore and I've now accepted that I haven't been for a long time."

"Being alone can be a scary proposition, yet it can also open up wonderful opportunities," said Charlie. "Joey and I have a friend who had been besotted with his wife, but they fought all the time and had constant marriage problems. They just weren't suited to each other and could never truly make it work, he knew it, she knew it, yet he still felt like his world had ended when their marriage finally broke up and he set about playing the field to ease his broken heart. Then quite unexpectedly, he met someone. They'd actually previously met on the job before, yet this time was different, because Nick was finally ready to move on from Lucinda and it allowed him to see Andi in a new light," she explained. "You see, while letting go can be hard, as can being alone, it can also lead you to a new life and now, Nick is the happiest I have ever seen him."

"Did you lose any respect for him when he played the field?"

"Not one bit," said Charlie. "People cope with loss in their own ways and that was just Nick's way of dealing with the end of his marriage."

Jack nodded thoughtfully. He already seemed to be on a similar path, he just wasn't sure he really wanted to stay on it. Casual sex was fine for the short term, yet there was something so empty and unfulfilling about it. He may have been a cheating bastard, but at least with Martha, there had been genuine feelings involved. He did miss her, but that ship had sailed. He wasn't truly alone though, Jack realised. He had Romeo and another baby on the way and even though they may live in separate homes, they were a part of him and always would be. That realisation eased his loneliness somewhat, and while he still hoped to fall in love again one day, maybe being single for a while wouldn't be so bad.

* * *

><p>"It was a wonderful weekend," Joey was telling Georgie when her friend asked her how her trip had gone. "Seeing Nick is always great, and his girlfriend Andi is so nice and fun to be around."<p>

"She must be pretty special if she survived you lot," drawled Georgie.

Joey grinned. "We're not that bad."

"Try being on the other side of you three Bucktons."

"No thanks, I don't think I'd survive," quipped Joey. "Luckily for Andi though, Ruby did take quite a fancy to her new Aunty."

"Was it a mutual fancy?"

"Yeah, pretty sure Andi fell for the old Ruby charm," Joey said rather proudly. "And we're all happy that she fell for the old Nick charm as well," she added. "He's a great guy who has been hurt by love before, so it's wonderful to see him so happy. He really is so in love right now."

"Being in love is such an amazing feeling when you're lucky enough to find it."

"Too right," said Joey. "And with them already living together and talking marriage and babies in the future, and with the way they act around each other, I'm absolutely certain that he's finally found the right woman for him."

"Sounds like it," said Georgie. "Bianca and I seem to be doing it the other way around though. Baby first and then asking her to move in."

Joey looked at her. "Georgie, did you ask Bianca to move in with you?"

"Yes," she replied. "You don't think we're moving too quickly, do you?"

"Geez, Charlie and I began by living together first, so I certainly can't say anything," Joey said with a grin. "And when it's with the right person, then as far as I'm concerned, there is no such thing as rushing into anything."

"Bianca is definitely the right person for me."

"Gee, never would have guessed," smirked a cheeky Joey. "Is she moving in straight away?"

"Pretty much as soon as I'm out of here," she said. "The only problem is, that Bianca still has six months to go on her current lease and so she's going to have to keep paying her rent or find someone to take it over for her."

"Well, I happen to know someone who is currently looking for a place to rent," said Joey. "So do you."

Georgie frowned, then realised who Joey meant. "What, Jack?"

"Why not?"

"It just seems a little weird, that's all."

"Maybe a little, but Bianca's place is going to be empty and Jack does need somewhere to live," Joey said. "And it's a nice place, perfect for having kids around to visit or stay overnight."

"I suppose I could speak to Bianca and then we could suggest it to Jack," she murmured.

Joey's watch beeped just then. "Shit, I have to get going," she said. "We have a charter in two hours, so we need to start getting everything ready."

"Have fun out there."

"I always do," she said. "Actually, you know what? The four of us should spend a nice day out on the sea some time soon."

"Sounds lovely, but perhaps we should wait till after the baby is born," Georgie said. "Not sure if pregnancy and a rocking motion would go together all that well for me."

Joey laughed. "You might be right," she said. "I'll see you later and if you need anything, just call."

"I will."


	100. Chapter 100

Charlie yawned and rolled over, cuddling Joey's pillow since she couldn't cuddle her absent wife. It was the weekend once more and she loved Saturday mornings like this, when she didn't have to go into work. These days were even more enjoyable following a relatively stress free week at work. The Station had become a much more pleasant place to be around lately. Jack was back to being his professional self and was much more agreeable and friendly since he'd set aside his anger and even Shauna was no longer being such a downer. She still wanted out of the Bay once her time was up, but she was doing her job and even manages the occasional smile. Charlie remembered seeing at least two such smiles this week. The only concern continued to be Stevenson. He really was immature and lacked all sense of responsibility and three days ago, it had gotten him into some strife. At least it wasn't professional strife, thought Charlie, well, not exactly. Being caught in bed with the daughter of the Area Commander was pretty big though. Finding out she was pregnant was another matter entirely. It was just lucky for him that a count back of months proved he'd gotten her pregnant after her last birthday, which meant at least she'd been legal, if only barely. Problem was, Stevenson didn't want to marry her, he didn't want a baby, he really didn't want to man up to his responsibilities at all. Personally, Charlie wouldn't inflict that irresponsible idiot on any woman and even as young and as love sick as she was, the girl was quickly wising up to what sort of man Stevenson was. The sooner the better, since Stevenson didn't intend on sticking around, having requested a transfer two hours after he learned he was going to be a daddy. His reaction certainly hadn't earned him any friends at work and there was some tension toward him, especially on top of his other recent behaviour. Even Jack had taken him to task. He'd had his own moments recently, but at least Jack had always been man enough to take responsibility, for both his son and for his own actions, even if he did take a little time to do so on occasion, he still took ownership of his problems. Stevenson on the other hand, was just being an idiot if he thought he could just run away from his problems and responsibilities. Last she'd heard, the Area Commander was willing to grant his request for transfer, if only to get him away from his daughter, but if Stevenson thought that would be the end of it, he had another thing coming. Child support for starters and he had nowhere to hide from it as long as he was in the Force.

The weird thing was, part of Charlie did understand his unwillingness to be lumbered with a child he didn't want. That had been her at one time. Children had been something to avoid at all costs. Thank god she'd had a change of heart though, or she would have missed out on the best days of her life, as step-mother to Ruby. Having Joey in her life was just a bonus to becoming a mum. She had a little chuckle at that. Damn, Joey was a hell of a bonus.

"What's so funny?" her wife asked from the doorway to their bedroom.

"Just musing to myself, my dear."

"How about musing yourself into some clothes," suggested Joey.

"What's the hurry?" said Charlie.

"A little boat trip I had planned," Joey reminded her.

"Oh, that," muttered Charlie and she held onto the pillow a little tighter.

"Come on Charlie, it is a beautiful day out there today," Joey told her. "Absolutely perfect for boating."

"That's a matter of opinion."

"Are you really going to give up a chance at having complete and utter privacy with me, all because you're a scaredy cat?"

"Joey, I have every reason to be a scaredy cat whenever you're behind the wheel."

"Those driving lessons were ages ago, Charlie," replied Joey.

"They're just like yesterday for me," she said. "Every horrifying, life flashing before my eyes, moment."

"What if I promise that Officer Friendly will be there?"

"Yeah, that's what you've been saying all week and still no sight of her."

"Oh, but I can guarantee her this time."

Charlie ran her eyes along her wife, from head to toe. She liked what she saw. Joey was in short denim cut offs, with a sports bra-like top and loosely hanging shirt that showed off her toned abs. "I'd settle for just you," Charlie told her.

"That's what I've been saying to you all week Charlie," she said. "Me, you, no one else and complete and utter privacy to do with as we please," Joey reminded her. Then she grinned cheekily as she added. "Besides, there's nothing to crash into out there except the fishes."

Shaking her head, Charlie laughed. "Interesting sales pitch."

"Have I sold it?"

"Depends," said Charlie.

"On what?"

"That little bikini of yours, you know the white one?" Joey nodded in reply. "I want you in that and nothing else."

"Done," said Joey. "I won't show it off until we're on the boat with nothing but sea around us, though."

"Deal."

"Now get your scaredy butt out of bed," she ordered, then quickly ducked when her own pillow came flying at her.

* * *

><p>Georgie lay blissfully next to her girlfriend. They'd begun the new day as the previous had ended. By making love. Each time they made love, it was as amazing as the last. Accepting she was gay really had been the best thing. It had allowed her to be free and experience all that she'd denied to herself. And oh boy, did she love experiencing it, just as she loved living with Bianca. Loved going to bed in her arms, and then waking up in her arms. She loved not having Bianca worry about being seen by Romeo and having to sneak off in the early morning to avoid him. That was in the past now. This was Bianca's home and after the initial shock - and horror - that his teacher was moving into his house with his mother, Romeo had quickly adapted to Bianca's permanent presence, especially once he had figured out he now had a readymade helper for his homework.<p>

Life really was just so great at the moment. She had the most wonderful woman in the world in her life and even her relationship with Jack was beginning to repair itself. There was still a lot to discuss with him and to arrange, but they were getting there. They'd even reached two decisions already. Though a little hesitant at first, Jack had agreed to take over Bianca's lease and has since moved in. He really hadn't had much choice in the end, given the lack of vacant rental properties in the area. The second decision they'd made, had been to allow Romeo to spend Friday and Saturday nights with his father, provided Jack didn't have to work the next day. Georgie had missed her son last night, but she knew how much both father and son needed the time together and it also meant, that on a morning like this, she and Bianca could spend it in bed without interruption. They could even make love all day if that's what they wanted to do. She honestly couldn't wait for the time when she was fully fit and they could do so much more together. Bianca had continually been promising her that there was still a lot for her to learn and her entire body thrummed at just the thought of that.

Georgie smiled when she felt Bianca's touch. Her girlfriend's hand was resting on her belly. It had spent a lot of time there lately.

"I can't believe I'm having a baby," Bianca murmured with a hint of awe.

"Excuse me?"

She grinned wryly. "Of course, you're doing the heavy lifting and all," she said. "What I meant was, that I can't believe we're having a baby."

"You say that like this is something new you've just been told."

"I can't help it," she said. "Everything has come together in a way I'd wished, but never quite dared dream would happen, yet it has and sometimes I still have to pinch myself to make sure it's real," she explained, then she yelped. "Ouch!" she complained. "What was that for!"

"Making sure it's real," quipped Georgie.

Bianca rubbed her breast. "I generally pinch my arm, not my nipple."

"I couldn't resist," Georgie said. "They're just so inviting," she added as her hand cupped her girlfriend's hand over her breast and squeezed gently. "Would you like me to kiss it better?"

"Yes please." Bianca sighed happily when Georgie's lips met her breast. Even though her girlfriend was still constrained by her injuries, each day, they were finding more ways around it. Very enjoyable ways.

* * *

><p>After dropping Ruby off at Aden and Geoff's, they'd made their way to the mariner. As slowly as Charlie could go. Even the task of carrying the picnic basket and their other bags to the boat had been agonisingly slow. Instead of being annoyed at her wife's go-slow tactics, Joey had found it highly amusing. Almost as amusing as the look on her wife's face as they now prepared to depart.<p>

The moment she'd set foot on the boat, Charlie had been constantly reminding herself that Joey was licensed to drive and Aden wouldn't risk letting Joey take the boat out, unless she was absolutely ready to do so. Over and over, Charlie told herself this. Then the boat would rock gently against its moorings. That really wasn't helping to calm her at all.

"Ready, Charlie?"

"If I said no, could we just stay right where we are and have our picnic here?"

"Sure we could," Joey easily responded. "That is, if you don't mind all the wharfies copping a good look at me in my skimpy bikini when I take my shorts and top off."

Charlie sighed. There was no way out of this. "Fine, let's go," she said with heavy resignation. "Before I change my mind," she muttered.

Untying the ropes that held the boat in place, Joey then got behind the wheel. "And we're off," she sang out to her wife. The boat gunned forward so quickly, Charlie nearly lost her footing.

"Oops," said a grinning Joey. "Just kidding." A light chuckle escaped when she noticed the state of her wife. Charlie's hands were gripping the back of the captain's chair, hard enough to show the whites of her knuckles.

"Relax Charlie," Joey told her. "We have all day out here."

"That's what scares me," Charlie murmured as the distance between boat and land steadily grew greater.


	101. Chapter 101

Charlie howled as loudly as she could as she came hard. There was after all, no one to hear her scream out here, except for her wife.

"Now that's what I call losing my sea legs," Charlie happily said as Joey let her legs fall from her shoulders and moved up beside her. After travelling for what felt like forever, at least that was how it felt to Charlie with Joey behind the wheel, they'd finally stopped and anchored the boat. Then for the past hour, Joey had set about relaxing her. Rather nicely, too.

Joey propped herself up on her elbow and smirked down at her pleasantly sated wife. "Aren't you glad you came now?"

"Just then or are you talking about the trip?" Charlie cheekily replied.

"Both."

"Yes for both," she said. "And a third yes for this," added Charlie as she flicked the strap on Joey's bikini top. "I know I said I wanted you in this and nothing else, but now I'm thinking that I want you in nothing at all."

"Your wish is my command." Kneeling up, Joey reached around her back and unsnapped her top. She didn't let it drop though. Charlie grinned up at her, enjoying the show. Joey flashed a bit of her breast, before quickly covering up.

Charlie groaned her disappointment. Loudly.

Joey flashed her other breast. Another groan of disappointment came from Charlie when it too, was covered up. Charlie was finding it hard to keep her hands to herself as each subsequent tease revealed a little more flesh, until a nipple finally peaked out. She sat up quickly and swiped with her tongue.

"Jesus," hissed Joey as her wife's tongue flicked over her nipple.

"If you stopped covering up the damn goodies, you could have much more of that," Charlie told her.

"So I should just do this?" Joey said, dropping her bikini top all the way down. Charlie nodded, only to see the goodies hidden away just as quickly once more.

"Tease."

"Considering I had to put up with all those 'are we there yet' moans the entire trip," Joey said in a mimic of Charlie's voice. "I figure I deserve the right to tease."

"How much longer?"

"As long as it takes."

"We don't have all day and night for that."

"Are you that keen to go home then?"

That would mean letting Joey take control of the boat again. And no more skimpy bikini. "No hurry," Charlie told her.

Grinning, Joey continued with her strip tease. Drawing it out for a good ten minutes before the bikini top was tossed carelessly aside. "Shit," she muttered when it slid off over the edge of the boat and into the water.

"I like you better without it," said Charlie. She couldn't stop smirking at the look of chagrin on Joey's face.

"Well it appears as if it's gone for good." Thank god she still had her shorts and shirt onboard, or she might have been forced to run half starkers through the marina to get to their car and she could pretty much guarantee that her wife wouldn't be the only one to enjoy that spectacle if it happened.

"How about these?" asked Charlie, pointing lower.

Joey glanced down at her bikini bottoms.

"No point in keeping the bottoms if there is no longer a matching top," Charlie reasoned with her.

"You're right."

Fifteen more minutes of teasing and the bottoms finally joined the top in floating off into the horizon, leaving both women completely naked. The sun was directly above them, casting them in it's warm glow. Charlie found Joey particular alluring, almost ethereal, under the sunlight. She got to her knees, so she was face-to-face with her wife.

"Now, what were you saying earlier about there being more for my goodies?" Joey said.

"I did say something like that, didn't I?" murmured Charlie. Both hands were suddenly filled with the lovely mounds of her wife's breasts. She squeezed gently, eliciting a sigh of pleasure from Joey. "Nice goodies," said Charlie, lowering her head until she was level with the harden peaks of Joey's nipples. Her lips were now less than a centimetre away. "Ooh, hard shells with soft centres are my favourites," she said as one nipple disappeared into her mouth.

Joey's eyes just about rolled into the back of her head in pleasure as her nipples were lavished by her wife's mouth. So lost in the moment, she didn't even realise that her wife had been gently pushing her backwards, until Joey felt the deck of the boat against her back. Charlie's knee was then pressing gently between her legs. She responded, opening her legs wider so her wife could kneel there.

"Fuck," groaned Joey when Charlie grazed her nipple with her teeth as she started her downward quest. Charlie kissed a path along the flushed skin, feeling Joey flutter against her at every touch. Each tiny flutter told her that Joey was hers now. Joey squeezed her eyes shut the moment she felt her wife's breath over her sex. She thrust her hips upward in encouragement. As if Charlie needed such encouragement.

"More goodies," Charlie whispered with extra emphasis so Joey could feel her words against her sex, as well as hear them.

"Oh fuck," gasped Joey as Charlie pushed one finger inside her at the same time her lips encircled her clit. A second finger joined the first and Charlie quickly found a rhythm that was slow and steady. With each thrust of her fingers and suck of her mouth, Charlie drew a gasp of pleasure from her wife. She continued to play Joey like a finely tuned instrument, making her rise and fall and cry out, at her touch.

Joey's hands sought frantically for something to grasp. Charlie's head. She held her there as her body answered her wife's every touch.

"Oh god Charlie," she panted.

Increasing the speed and deepness of her thrusts, Charlie felt Joey react. Her hips rose and fell in erratic fashion, then suddenly, Joey's back arched, her body going still and rigid as her climax hit.

"Fuck!" Joey screamed. Charlie enjoyed the way Joey's clit spasmed in her mouth as Joey's body now bucked frantically against her as her wife rode out her climax. Charlie paused only briefly to allow Joey's body to come down, then she was back to her thrusting, sucking and flicking. And on it went.

"Harder," begged Joey and Charlie responded. She pumped harder and deeper into her wife.

"Charlie, yes, yes," screamed Joey as her second orgasm quickly rushed through her.

Three more times, Charlie had her wife crying out her name at the peak of her climax, before both women were lying in a naked heap together, temporarily exhausted.

"I hope we don't get sunburnt lying out in the sun like this," murmured Charlie.

"We've practically bathed in the sunscreen today," replied Joey.

"Think most of it ended up on my tongue and lips."

Joey chuckled and curled contentedly against her wife.

* * *

><p>Charlie's head broke the surface of the water and she sputtered and spat out a mouthful of salt water. "This just isn't going to work," she reluctantly told her wife. They'd tried twice now, to have sex in the water and both times, one of them had gone under and not for the right reasons. They were both finding it so hard to stay afloat while trying to make love.<p>

"It always looks so easy in the movies," muttered a disappointed Joey.

"We could always put floaties on our arms to help us stay above the water," suggested Charlie.

"Kind of takes away from the romance of it all," replied Joey.

"So does drowning," Charlie pointed out. "Face it Joey, we need shallower water." She grimaced just then. "And preferably water that doesn't have fish trying to swim up the wrong stream."

Realising what Charlie had meant, Joey burst out laughing. Not even her wife splashing water at her could dampen her amusement. "Pretty sure the frisky little bugger was wearing my missing bikini too," she joked.

"Ha ha," murmured Charlie. She swam to the boat and reached up for the ladder.

"Moon river, wider than a mile," Joey begun to sing as her wife pulled herself out of the water.

"Sing all you want Joey, because this moon is about to set for the day inside a pair of shorts."

"Spoil sport," she sang out as she too, pulled herself onto the deck. "We still have a few hours of light left to enjoy."

Charlie gazed at her wife. Joey was naked, glistening wet and Charlie felt that familiar tingle yet again. "My moon may yet rise again, but first it needs some sustenance to restore its energy," Charlie told her.

* * *

><p>Charlie dozed. The moon had risen and fallen twice more in the past two hours and Charlie felt incredibly sated and content. All around them, there was nothing but the water. The blue, peaceful water that was gently lapping against the boat hull as they gently rocked, back and forth. It had a very calming effect on her.<p>

"I guess we should be thinking of heading back in soon," Joey murmured at her side.

Charlie's whole world shattered with those few words. Heading back meant Joey behind the wheel again. Maybe she could sleep through it all.

"Want to drive?"

Her whole world suddenly glowed brightly again and Charlie found herself shaking off her tiredness and sitting up. She felt not only relieved, but also excited at the chance of driving this thing.

"You really mean that, Joey?"

"Yep," replied Joey. "I'll need to take over once there are other boats about, but till then, she's all yours."

"I can't wait to get my hands on the wheel," Charlie said and practically rubbed her hands together in anticipation.

"Should I be jealous?" mused Joey as they got to their feet and dressed.

"My hands have been all over you all day, so I think it's only fair to now share some of that attention around."

Chuckling, Joey followed her wife to the wheel and talked her through the instructions. When they were ready, she stood behind her wife and put her arms around her waist. "Take us home Capt. Charlie."

"Capt. Charlie has a nice ring to it," murmured Charlie as the boat gunned forward so quickly, they both nearly lost their footing.

"Oops," blushed Charlie. Unlike Joey's earlier effort, Charlie's hadn't been intentional.

"Relax and take it slowly," Joey said gently. "Just as we did before."

"Slow with us always ends with hot, heavy and fast," Charlie reminded her.

"This time we're going slow all the way."

Charlie shivered as Joey's breath tickled her neck.

"Ok Capt Charlie, time to take us home," Joey told her again.

This time was smoother and Charlie quickly gained confidence and settled into her role as skipper for the first time. Despite her earlier fears, this really had turned into a wonderful day, so wonderful, she'd love a repeat performance. Not that she wanted Joey to know that just yet. She much preferred to let her wife work hard at getting them out here again. The eventual pay off was more than worth the effort.


	102. Chapter 102

**One month later…**

"What?" Bianca asked when she caught Charlie smirking at her from over her morning tea latte.

"Just marvelling at the effects of domestic life with the girlfriend is having on you," said Charlie. There was no need to ask how Bianca was, for the answer was right there on her face. Even after all these weeks, her smile couldn't be any wider or the sparkle in her eye any brighter.

"Honestly Charlie, I thought just being in love was wonderful, but the whole sharing our lives together takes it to a different level," said Bianca. "I have never felt so happy and content in my life. I'm even loving being a step-mum," she said. "Romeo is such a great kid and I just can't wait for our baby to be born."

Charlie's brow went up at the our baby comment. It was great that her friend saw the baby that way, since junior was going to play such a large part in all of their lives.

"Step-motherhood is a wonderful experience," agreed Charlie. "And coming from me, that says something. Kids were the furthest from my mind, so I definitely didn't set out to be a step-mum to anyone, yet the moment that little curly haired scamp got beneath my skin, I was hooked and now I couldn't imagine not being a mother."

"Well I've always loved kids, which was why I became a teacher, but even that didn't stop me being worried at first, at how Romeo would accept me as his mum's girlfriend and as his step-mum," she said. "Romeo means the world to Georgie, and she would have been absolutely gutted had he rejected us, so I can tell you, it was such a huge relief that he has welcomed me into his life as he has."

"Romeo seems like a very happy young boy these days."

"Yeah, I don't think any of us truly realised just how much the knowledge of Jack's affair and the tension in his parents' marriage had actually affected him till after they had separated," said Bianca. "I think there is a part of him that is still getting used to the idea somewhat, both of his mum being gay and having to split his time between his parents' homes, but seeing that his parents are happier apart has certainly helped to relieve his own stress and has also helped him to adapt to all the changes in his life."

"Seems like there is a lot of happiness all around."

"Toxic is probably too harsh a word to describe the state of their marriage toward the end, but ending it has definitely been the right decision for everyone involved," replied Bianca. "And I'm not just saying that for my own selfish reasons," she said. "Even Jack is freely admitting that he's happier out of the marriage now."

"How are things with him on a personal level?"

"He and Georgie still have the odd argument where Romeo and the pregnancy are concerned, but nothing too serious and each time they do disagree on something, they're finding it easier to come to an agreement without any of the old animosity rearing its ugly head," she said. "After all, they both want what is best for their kids. As for me, well, Jack and I are slowly getting to know each other better," she told Charlie. "And the more I've spoken to him in the past month, the more I realise I might have misjudged him somewhat," she admitted. "I guess in fairness to Jack, my old view on him was tainted by my feelings for Georgie and also his behaviour toward her at the time, but since setting all the jealousy and anger aside on both our parts, I'm finding out that we have a few things in common and he's really not that bad."

"Yeah, I've noticed that myself," she said. "When I was under the impression their marriage was fine, I found him to be an ok guy, if a little annoying due to some cockiness, only for him to then become thoroughly unpleasant after the separation, yet ever since he seemed to reach a self awareness of what his life had become and the need for change, I'm finding his company much more enjoyable at work," Charlie told her friend. "I just think that without the burden of a failing marriage on his shoulders and with this new self-awareness, it has really allowed him to grow, both as a person and as an officer."

"It's certainly made him much easier to deal with, that's for sure," Bianca said. "He's always going to be a part of our lives because of the kids, so I can tell you, getting along with him is a hell of a lot better than bitching at him."

"It's good that you're all finding your way through this as you are."

"It helps that we're on the same page for a lot of things," she replied. "Anyway, I'm just glad for Georgie's sake, that it has been relatively smooth sailing since her collapse. None of us want that happening again."

"Definitely not," said Charlie. "I really am happy for you all."

"Thanks Charlie," she replied, then she leant in closer, and in a conspiratorial voice, she asked, "Now, is there any truth to the whisper going around that Jack has shown some interest in a certain new officer?"

"You heard something, did you?"

"Leah mentioned overhearing a few things at the Diner, now what do you know?"

"The new officer in question is Lara Fitzgerald or Fitzy as she is better known as. She's Stevenson's replacement." Lara Fitzgerald had arrived two days after Stevenson had gotten his wish of a transfer. Unfortunately for him, in his haste to get as far away from his responsibilities of impending fatherhood as he could, he'd been forced to accept the first possible transfer, which happened to be to an area that had one of the worst crime rates in the State. If he thought being a cop was an easy ride because of the slow pace of country life, he was in for a rude awakening. He could always quit and Charlie thought the Force would be better off without an immature and lazy officer like Stevenson, but with all the threats of dragging him into court if he reneged on child support, he needed the work. Serves himself right though, thought Charlie.

"Fitzy, huh?" said Bianca.

"She's 27, single, no kids and is a good officer from what she's demonstrated so far."

"I didn't ask for her biography, just if there was something between her and Jack."

"I'm not one to gossip."

"So there is something."

"Well, let's just say that there has been some serious eye gazing passing back and forth in the office."

"Ah, office romances."

"Ah, a senior officer's nightmare," murmured Charlie. "Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against falling for someone at work, but by god, if office romances don't work out or end badly, it can be hell for every other co-worker who gets stuck in the middle."

"Yeah, I've seen that happen at a couple of schools I've been in," said Bianca. "Some ex-couples have had no issue working with each other once it was all over, but there have been the odd occasion where the staff room became like a mine field, largely because those couples involved a third party from the same pool of staff."

"Fun times indeed."

Bianca snorted a reply. "And for some reason, they then expect everyone else to choose sides, which just makes it even messier," she said. "So then, is it just longing looks for now?" Bianca said, getting back to the good stuff.

"He hasn't asked her out, if that's what you mean, but if those looks passing between them are anything to go by, then I think Fitzy would be saying yes if he ever gets around to asking her out."

"It's the 21st Century, she could be the one asking Jack out."

"She could, but Fitzy is well aware that Jack's marriage ended barely two months ago, so maybe she's waiting for Jack to make the first move, you know, sort of as a sign he's ready to move on or something."

"Makes sense I suppose, or she could just be an old romantic who likes the man to ask first."

"Or that," said Charlie.

"You reckon he'll ask her out?"

"I honestly have no idea," replied Charlie. "Jack's been married for the best part of his adult life and he's been moving on as a single man for some time now and he seems content with that," she told her. "There's also the added complication that if he did hook up with someone at work, then he'd find himself in one of those situations we were just talking about before. You know, the one with the guy, the pregnant soon-to-be ex-wife and the current girlfriend, all working together."

"Oh shit yeah, that could be a little awkward."

"Personally, I don't think Fitzy would be all that bothered, as she knows Georgie has moved on with a woman and nor do I think Georgie would mind Jack getting with Fitzy, since Fitzy seems like a great lady. She's funny, smart and friendly, but even so, it could still create a bit of awkwardness for them to all be working side by side once Georgie returns to work, assuming that he and Fitzy hooked up, that is."

"I think you're right about Georgie not really minding," said Bianca. "She wants Jack to find the same happiness she has and has even been gently encouraging him to start dating again, which was why she was so curious to know if there was any truth to the rumour," she said. "Up until now, Jack has been telling her that he's happy being single."

"And maybe he wants to stay that way and that's part of why he hasn't asked Fitzy out."

Bianca slowly nodded, then she frowned. "Oh god, we're gasbagging like a couple of gossips," she muttered with sudden realisation.

"Everyone has casual talks about other people like this," said Charlie. "You only really need to start panicking when gossiping becomes your entire life."

"You mean when you become the next Colleen Smart."

"No, I think Colleen is in a league of her own," replied Charlie. "Even after all these weeks, she's still giving her opinion on you three."

"So I've heard," said Bianca. "Jack apparently had a go at her for saying something nasty about Georgie the other day."

"Yeah, Leah told me and good for him for speaking up for Georgie." Since it wasn't that long ago he had been the one saying nasty things about her. Just went to show how things had changed and for the better, thought Charlie.

"I still reckon Leah should sack the old biddy," Bianca said.

"There are times where she does seriously consider doing just that, but at the end of the day, Colleen is a good worker and Leah is a softy."

"Even so, I think there will come a time where even our softy Leah, will snap and give her the boot."

"It still won't stop Colleen from gossiping."

"Yeah, you're right, she enjoys it way too much to ever stop," said Bianca. "Since we are doing our own gossiping, how is Shauna doing these days?" she asked. "I haven't really seen much of her since things ended so badly between us."

Charlie knew it still bothered her friend that Shauna had basically cut her out of her life, even though she understood why Shauna had done so.

"I wouldn't exactly go so far as to say that she's been a ray of sunshine, but she does appear more settled lately," replied Charlie. "Not enough to want to continue on here once Georgie is back at work, but I think she's beginning to find an inner peace with herself," she said. "You know, she's even been speaking to Alf this past week."

"Really, that's great news," she said, then frowned. "I think."

"It is good news," said Charlie. "Shauna has had a lot of anger toward her father that has festered over the years and though it's taken her a long time to realise it, having this chance to actually talk through her anger at him with him, is helping her to let go of some it. It's early stages yet, but I can see the benefits of it already."

"I'm pleased for her."

"I wish things had worked out better for you on the friends side of things."

"Same here, but once one sided feelings and other things get in the way, it's not always possible to stay friends."

"I think she has long since moved on from you in that regard," Charlie told her. "Unfortunately for you though, Shauna just happens to be one of those people who is slow to let go of a grudge."

"Well, maybe we'll still be able to bury the hatchet before she does leave the Bay."

Charlie nodded and sipped her drink.

"So, any plans for the last weekend of your leave?" Charlie asked her.

"God, it's going to be so hard to get back into the swing of things at work after the most glorious holidays of my life," murmured Bianca. Every school morning, they'd both gotten up to see Romeo to school, then it was back to bed for the best part of the morning. The days had then been largely spent relaxing and just really enjoying being together in every possible way.

"Yep, I can certainly see how drawing yourself away from whatever is going on in your mind right now, will be hard."

Bianca blushed at having been distracted by those wonderful memories.

"You also didn't answer my question on your plans for the weekend."

"We haven't made any plans for the whole weekend just yet," said Bianca. "But with Romeo going to his father's tonight, Georgie wants to go out to a nice restaurant, seeing as how this will be the last Friday of my holidays."

"Ooh, going public as a couple for the first time is a pretty big step."

"It's not as if we haven't been out in public together before."

"Does going to the Diner really count?" asked Charlie.

"I suppose those were just casual outings and usually during the least busiest times and when Colleen wasn't there," she sheepishly added. "Still, that first time was particularly difficult for Georgie, because it was her first real public statement to being gay in a way, but she wanted to get that first time out of the way and the Diner offered the least confronting environment, especially with Leah there in our corner."

"Yeah, I remember my first time out in public with my girlfriend," murmured Charlie. "Not too fondly."

"Mine was great," said Bianca. "But then, I've never given a fuck what others thought."

"I was like that," Charlie said. "Everyone already knew I was gay, yet for some reason, being in public as part of a couple that first time was harder than usual."

"It's a different experience for everyone," she said. "And I suppose tonight is also different, since I guess it will be our first official date as a couple in public."

"If either of you develop any nerves, you only have to look into each other's eyes and the world around you will disappear."

"I love it when that happens," murmured a wistful Bianca. "It actually happens a lot."

"I've noticed."

"You and Joey are no better."

"I've noticed that too."

"God, we really are a couple of saps, aren't we?"

"We're just two very in love, happy saps," said Charlie. "It's great, isn't it?"

"The absolute best."

* * *

><p>"I'm coming!" Joey yelled out to whoever was pounding incessantly on her front door. "Patience is a virtue you know," she muttered to herself as she flung open the door. She stared in surprise. "Oh my god, what are you doing here!"<p> 


	103. Chapter 103

"I'm here to see my friends!" Shannon replied in a screech very similar to Joey's greeting.

Joey frowned, then blushed. "I didn't sound like that, did I?"

"All girlie excited?" said Shannon. "Nah, not at all." She grinned at Joey. "So, are you going to just stand there gaping at me or are you going to hug me?"

"So I've gone from girlie excited to gaping now?"

"Oh just shut up and hug me."

"Oof," moaned Joey as the air was squished out of her by her friend.

"You're getting soft girl," Shannon told her after she'd released Joey from her bear crushing hug and walked into the house.

"You caught me by surprise, is all," said Joey. "I really wasn't expecting you Shannon."

"It wouldn't have been much of a surprise if I'd told you I was coming, now would it?" Shannon stood in front of Joey and looked her up and down. "This place obviously suits you," she said. "You're looking amazing."

"So are you."

"No I'm not," she said. "I look like the walking dead that has been run over and then backed over again."

"Well, for a zombie, you're looking pretty good," drawled Joey.

Shannon chuckled. "You're good for my ego Joey."

"In all honestly, you are looking a little tired."

"Which is why I'm here," replied Shannon. "I needed a break from everything."

"How about I make a cuppa while you fill me in," Joey suggested.

"Sounds good," Shannon said as she followed Joey into the kitchen.

"I take it things have been a little hectic lately," said Joey and Shannon nodded in reply.

"It feels like one book signing tour ends, only for another to start," she murmured. "I barely even get time to adjust to one place, when I'm moving onto the next and it's starting to get to me," Shannon told her. "I love my work and I love travelling and meeting new people, but it feels like that is all I am doing these days," she said. "Then there are the kids. I miss them like crazy whenever I have to leave them with Mandy's parents, yet I feel bad the times when I drag them out of school to travel with me. They don't seem to mind the travelling and seeing all the sights when they're with me, but I think it's time they had a more regular routine and the same goes for me."

"Sounds to me like you're planning on staying put for awhile then?"

"At least for the next 12 months or so," said Shannon. "I need to recharge my batteries before they end up going completely flat. I also need to make a proper start on my new book," she told her. "I'm just not having much luck in that area at the moment."

"You don't have writer's block, do you?" Joey asked in concern. She remembered the one time when Shannon was really struggling to write. The more she stressed over it, the harder it was for her to write. Luckily, it only lasted a month, but it had been hard to watch her friend struggle so much during that period.

"Nah, it's not that bad yet," said Shannon. "The ideas are there, they're just not flowing as freely from up here," she said, tapping her head. "To the pages. Like I said, I just need a break from all the other stuff to get me going again."

"If you ever need to get away from things, you and the kids should come down for a weekend or Charlie and I could come up with Ruby."

"Actually, it's funny you should say that," she said. "Because aside from catching up with you and Charlie, I have another reason for being here." Shannon took a sip of her coffee, while Joey waited impatiently for her to continue. She took another sip.

"Ok, you've tortured me enough, now out with it."

Shannon had another cheeky sip for good measure. "I'm here to do some house hunting."

"What, here!" Joey said in surprise.

"After the way you and Charlie have spoken of this place, I thought, what the heck, I'll have a look at some places," she said. "Either here or in a nearby area."

"Are you really serious about moving here?"

"I'm not sure if it will be a permanent move, but yeah, I'm totally serious about getting out of the city for the duration of my break," replied Shannon. "And from what I've seen for myself so far and heard from you, then the Summer Bay area is ideal. It's quiet, peaceful and still relatively close to the city, so my publisher and in-laws aren't too far away and best of all, I will have my best friends nearby, which is exactly what I need right now."

"This is so great, Shannon," said Joey. "I'm just not sure how much luck you'll have finding a place though, because vacancies around here are in pretty short supply."

"I've already been onto a local realtor," she replied. "He said pretty much the same thing, especially in the central area of town. He did mention a couple of places though, including an old farmhouse that sounds lovely. It's about 20 minutes out of town."

"A farm?" Joey sceptically said as she tried to imagine her city slicker friend on a farm.

"A farmhouse," Shannon corrected her. "The farming land was sold off years ago to a neighbour, but the original house is still there. The owner hasn't had any luck selling it, so has just recently decided to put it up for lease instead. The realtor said it's small, but there would be a room for each of us and there's a closed off veranda that sounds absolutely perfect for a writing area."

"Seems to me that you're already sold on the idea."

"I wasn't at first," said Shannon. "I thought I was kidding myself for even contemplating a move to the country, but the more I thought about it, the more I realised this is what I need, both for me and the kids."

"Well I'd certainly love having you around and it'd be great to catch up with the kids more often," said Joey. "I really do miss you guys, we all do."

"We miss you too." Shannon glanced at her watch. "The realtor said I could meet him in an hour to take a look at the place," she said. "Want to come and take a squiz with me?"

"Just try to stop me," Joey said. "How long are you in town for?"

"The kids are having sleepovers at their friends' places tonight, so I can stay at least until lunch tomorrow."

"If you're up to it, then we should go out tonight and have a bit of fun on the town."

"God, I haven't been out on the town since our last night out together," said Shannon. "It ended rather nicely as I recall. Is Bianca going to be there?"

"No, I think she's going to be out with her girlfriend tonight."

"Girlfriend, huh?" she murmured. "Would this girlfriend happen to be a certain policewoman who was the object of Bianca's affections?"

Joey looked at her friend. She was smirking in that all knowing way she did. Typical that Shannon would have seen what they hadn't at the time. "Yep, that would be her."

"I'm glad they finally figured it out," Shannon said.

"Not as glad as they are," said Joey. "We can still have a girls' night out without them," she said. "I'm sure Leah would be up for a bit of fun."

"Sounds great," she said. "Now, how about we go and check out my potential living arrangements for the next year."

* * *

><p>"Did I hear right," Leah said over the loud music at the Club. "You're moving to the Bay?"<p>

"I signed the lease this afternoon," replied Shannon.

"She really doesn't like to waste any time with these big decisions," said Joey with a grin.

"I just don't see the point in pissing around once my mind is made up," she said.

"Actually, she's in love," Joey told Leah.

"It literally was love at first sight for me," said Shannon. "I took one look at the farmhouse and couldn't wait to sign on the dotted line."

"She's not kidding," said Joey. "I had to steal all the pens or she would have signed the lease without even negotiating."

"Joey saved me a whole 5 bucks a week on rent," drawled Shannon.

"That is 5 bucks you can be using for something else."

"My wife is such a cheap skate," Charlie bemoaned.

"Yet I still manage to spoil you rotten."

"True."

"What do your kids think about the move?" Leah asked Shannon.

"They're already worried about missing their friends, but they're also excited at their latest adventure. A farmhouse with plenty of things to explore is appealing to my inquisitive kids," said Shannon. "Oh, and I bribed them with the promise of a puppy," she jokingly added.

"A puppy?" said Charlie. "Oh god, if you get a puppy, then we'll have to get a puppy for Ruby as well."

"Or we don't and Ruby spends a lot of time at Shannon's place playing with their puppy," Joey pointed out. "Leaving us all alone in our house."

"You really should get a puppy, Shannon," she said, to the amusement of the others.

* * *

><p>"I'm so glad we came out tonight," Shannon said a few drinks later. "I've missed just hanging out with the girls."<p>

"Yeah, we don't get the chance that often ourselves," said Charlie. "We should try to make this a more regular thing," she said just as Leah came back to the table. "Leah, what is it?"

"That woman over there just brought me a drink and tried to pick me up," she said a little wide eyed.

"I don't blame her for wanting to pick up a gorgeous chick like you," teased Joey.

"I'm not a lesbian though," Leah said, then she took a moment to look around her. A few things finally twigged and she stared at her friends. "Is this a lesbian bar?" she asked suddenly.

"Not usually," replied an amused Joey.

"What do you mean, not usually?"

"The new owner is having theme nights on certain nights of the week," she said. "Every second Friday is apparently going to be Lesbian night."

"Well you could have told me that before we got here," Leah complained to her.

"Why, would you have changed your mind about joining us?" asked Shannon.

"No, I would have worn a sexier dress so I wouldn't have to pay for another drink all night."

* * *

><p>Shannon howled with laughter.<p>

"At the time I didn't think it was very funny, but I can see the funny side now," Leah said with a wry smile.

"I still can't," said Charlie, which made Shannon laugh again.

"And at least VJ has made some less troublesome friends since that day," said Leah.

"And he really learned a valuable lesson," Joey said. "Flour and eggs don't mix unless its to make a cake."

Charlie rolled her eyes to the ceiling. It never ended.

"I'd have loved to have seen Snr Const. Donut," Shannon said through a fit of giggles.

"Somebody please save me," Charlie moaned above the chatter.

"How about somebody like Bianca and Georgie," Joey whispered to her and Charlie followed her line of sight. She was surprised to see their friends hovering near the entrance. Before Charlie could say anything, Joey was on her feet and waving to Bianca and Georgie. Charlie wasn't quite sure how this would go. Last time they'd met, Georgie had been rather rude toward Shannon. Of course, they now knew that was out of jealousy, but still, Shannon was an ex of Bianca's and that first time in the same room again could go either way.

* * *

><p>"Is that Shannon with them?" Georgie muttered at her girlfriend's side.<p>

"Looks like her." Bianca glanced at Georgie. "Are you ok with seeing her?"

"Am I ok about seeing a beautiful and successful author that you're not only a fan off, but have slept with?"

"Ah, yeah," Bianca said a little cautiously.

"Yes I'm ok with it," she said, offering a warm smile to her girlfriend as she took her hand. It quite amazed her that her usual insecurities hadn't reared up. Then again, she now believed in her and Bianca's love for each other in a way she had never dreamt was possible. "I really am ok with this Bianca," she assured her. "Especially since I'm the one that is with you now."

"Ooh, territorial, I like it." Bianca brushed her lips over hers. "You really are the only one for me."

* * *

><p>"How was the restaurant?" Charlie asked them when the duo had joined them.<p>

"It was nice," replied Georgie. "I think."

"You think?" said Joey.

"I didn't really notice much beyond my dinner companion," she said with a blush.

"I was much the same," confessed Bianca.

"Oh god, it's like Charlie and Joey all over again," Shannon dramatically said with a heavy sigh that broke through any potential awkwardness.

"Joey and Charlie are in a league of their own," Georgie pointed out.

"But you're quickly catching up to them," said Leah.

"Oh no, we have a long way to go yet," Bianca replied. She looked around the place. "Georgie and I kind of just came in to pass some time before the movie starts, but I wasn't expecting it to be so busy in here, at least not this early in the night. This place has really picked up since I was last here."

"It's lesbian night," Joey told her.

"Take my word for it, there aren't this many lesbians in town," she said.

"No, but when you're offering half price drinks to lesbians up until 11pm, we're bound to multiply," said Joey. "I'm sure most of the lesbians here tonight will be back to being straight after then." She shrugged. "Faux lesbians or not, it's still a nice atmosphere here."

"Yeah, it's not bad," murmured Bianca. She smiled at Shannon. "It's nice to see you again."

"You too," she said. "And it's nice to see you two finally got your act together," Shannon said to the couple.

"We were a little slow, but we got there in the end," said Bianca.

"Slow?" snorted Shannon. "Try glacial," she said. "I'm honestly surprised it took you this long, since I actually thought you two were a couple when we first met with the way you were dancing together," she told them. "Of course," she looked to Charlie and Joey. "I didn't expect blind Freddy and Frieda here to notice what was going on, considering those two were blind to each other for so long."

"Hey," objected Joey.

"She does have a point," said Charlie.

"Well yeah, she does," Joey said.

"Of course I do, since I'm always right," Shannon bragged. "Now that we have that sorted, how about I get the next round. Wine all around?"

"Just an OJ for me," said Georgie. "No alcohol for me while I'm pregnant."

Shannon's brows flew up and she looked at Bianca.

"Hey, I'm good in bed, but not that good," she joked. "I couldn't be happier though."

"Well, I guess congratulations are in order then."

"Thanks," said Georgie. "It was an unexpected but welcome surprise." She tugged on her belt. "I just wish pregnancy didn't come with big bellies," she muttered.

Bianca placed her hand lovingly onto Georgie's belly. "Pregnancy is so sexy on you," she assured her.

"Says the woman who isn't carrying around a spare bowling ball as a stomach."

"You're barely even showing."

"Yet," said Georgie. "But in the latter stages of my pregnancy with Romeo, I was huge and had to waddle like a duck to get anywhere."

"A very sexy duck, no doubt," Bianca said. Their eyes met and the others at the table sighed.

"Yep, they're Joey and Charlie alright," Shannon said as she went to get the next round of drinks.

* * *

><p>"Joey had mentioned your accident to me and I'm glad to see you're much better," Shannon said to Georgie.<p>

"I still have a few aches and pains," she said. "But at least I don't need a sling anymore and I find that if I keep up with my exercises, then the aches and pains aren't so bad."

"When do you go back to work?"

"Not for at least another month or so," she replied. "Then it's light duties for the rest of my pregnancy." Georgie glanced at Bianca. "That is, provided I can get away from my overprotective partner."

"Don't worry Bianca, once she's back at work, she'll have a Station full of people watching out for her," Charlie told her friend.

"I'll still worry."

"Of course you will," said Charlie. "That's part of impending parenthood."

"Speaking of impending parenthood," Leah said. "Hey Georgie, now that you're up and about more these days, how about we finally throw you that baby shower?"

"I guess I can't say no to another party."

* * *

><p>"Georgie, why don't you ask our resident author to autograph all those books that you have," Bianca said for the benefit of everyone at the table, especially Shannon. "She has every single book you've ever written."<p>

Shannon stared at Georgie in surprise. "I thought you weren't a fan of crime novels?" she said. "Something about writers taking too many liberties and the cops not being very believable?"

"No, that was the green eyed monster who wasn't a fan," Georgie sheepishly admitted. "I on the other hand, absolutely love them."

"I'll be happy to sign them if that's what you really want."

"Well, maybe just one autograph," Georgie shyly said.

"Geez, is everyone here tonight?" Charlie murmured a little too loudly. Everyone turned to see who she was talking about.

"Oh boy," muttered Bianca.

Charlie wasn't all that surprised to see Shauna at the club, since she knew she was still spending a lot of evenings out. She just hadn't expected to see her with the woman she'd arrived with. And tonight of all nights. She looked over to Bianca and Georgie. Talk about a busy night. Two of Bianca's exes in the one place at the same time, along with a potential suitor for Georgie's soon-to-be-ex husband. Georgie had yet to meet either woman and while she seemed fine with Shannon, would it extend to Shauna arriving with Fitzy?


	104. Chapter 104

"Hey Charlie," Fitzy said. She greeted them all with a friendly smile while Shauna hung back, standing slightly behind her as if she wanted a shield or just a chance at a quick getaway. "Looks like everyone is here tonight."

"Looks like it," said Charlie.

Fitzy saw the way everyone was looking at them. "Oh, Shauna and I aren't on a date if that's what you're all thinking," she quickly explained. "We're just here for a bit of fun." She frowned at the varying reactions. "Ok, I'm starting to sense that there's something else that I'm missing here, aren't I?"

"Bianca and I sort of had a thing," Shauna replied before Bianca could. "Turns out we wanted different things though," she said. "She wanted someone else."

"Ah, that explains it," murmured Fitzy.

"Charlie, why don't you introduce everyone," Joey said to her wife after an uncomfortable silence had descended upon the table.

"Oh right," she said. "Lara, let me introduce you to everyone. Leah and Joey you've already met, and this is Shannon Reid, one of our oldest friends who is about to move into the area."

When the introductions reached Georgie, there was a moment where both women eyed each other, as if sizing each other up. Charlie watched on with baited breath. She was sure that Bianca would have filled Georgie in on all the gossip they'd covered earlier, so Georgie would know who Fitzy was and her apparent interest in Jack.

"So you're the infamous Const. Watson," Fitzy said.

Georgie's brow went up. "Infamous?"

Fitzy's mouth quirked. "It sounded more dramatic than the absent Const. Watson," she said with a cheeky grin. "I keep hearing all about you from your colleagues, so it's nice to finally be able to put a face to the name."

"I've been hearing things about you as well," said Georgie.

"If it's good things, then it's all true but if it's anything bad, then it's clearly all a load of shit and lies."

Charlie let out the breath she was holding. The way both women were smiling, it was safe to say they were hitting it off.

"I don't think we've met yet," Shauna said to George and Charlie muttered a silent groan. She'd momentarily forgotten that little fact. "Nice to meet you, Constable," she said, surprising all by sticking her hand out to Georgie, who took it.

"It's nice to meet you too," she said. It had been surprisingly easy for Georgie to say that to her, given Shauna's history with Bianca. "And it's Georgie."

Shauna nodded stiffly. She hated to admit it, but Bianca and Georgie did make a beautiful looking couple and they certainly appeared to be very happy together. She'd still rather be anywhere else but here though. She felt a nudge at her side.

"Take the stick out of your arse," Fitzy whispered to her.

"Fuck off," she whispered back, but she'd said it with a smile. Her new friend had a habit of speaking her mind and even when it was aimed at her, Shauna found it hard to be pissed off with her. Fitzy was just an open and upfront woman with an infectious personality, who had decided it was her duty to cheer her up, which was why she'd dragged her out here tonight.

"Why don't you two join us," Shannon suggested and Charlie didn't know who to look at, to see who was more uncomfortable with that idea than the other. "You and I can compare notes on Bianca," she said to Shauna.

Shauna finally twigged as to who the redhead was. Another of Bianca's old flings. "It might be a bit brief," she quietly said.

"That's ok, we can just make up shit as we go along."

"Hey," objected Bianca. "Do I get a say in this?"

"No," Shannon and Shauna said together.

"Ok, fine, talk about me then," Bianca said with a heavily dramatic sigh. When Shauna wasn't looking, she sent a wink Shannon's way. She knew what she was trying to do with Shauna and she appreciated it. Anything that could help to break the ice with Shauna was a good thing.

"Do you want to join in as well Georgie?" Shannon asked her.

"I might be a bit biased, since I think Bianca is absolutely perfect," she replied. It still felt a bit weird to be sitting at a table with two of her girlfriend's exes, yet one gaze into Bianca's eyes and she was reminded that Bianca was all hers. Besides, everyone had exes and since Bianca was going out of her way to get to know Jack better, then it was only fair that she give Bianca's exes the same courtesy. It wasn't that big of a deal. Shauna was leaving soon and as Shannon was moving here and they shared the same friends, then she was going to have to get used to being around her anyway. And she was already finding herself liking the other woman anyway.

"If we're just making up shit, can everyone join in on this discussion?" said Fitzy.

"Absolutely," said Shannon.

"Ok then," said Fitzy. "I have never met Bianca before tonight, but we dated for like, over two years and even though I'm straight and have never had sex with a woman, the sex between us was great."

"That makes perfect sense to me," said Joey.

"It would," Charlie said.

"Are you implying I have a contradictory manner?"

"More like you're as full of as much shit as Fitzy is," Leah said.

"Oh in that case, I agree."

"You would," said Charlie.

"There's a lot of would at this table and not even a man in sight," quipped Joey.

"Thank god," murmured Leah. "I can't stand the bastards."

"Um Leah, aren't you married to a man?" Joey pointed out.

"Beyond that door, Leah Baker is very happily married to a great man," she said. "However, within these walls and on a night like tonight, I'm a single, man hating and thirsty woman who is letting her hair down."

"Geez, you'd do anything for a free drink," said Charlie.

"Damn right I would."

"Give me a kiss then," Joey cheekily said.

"Fuck off Joey, you're not my type."

That brought much laughter to the table and another round of drinks.

* * *

><p>"My mum would love this place," said Fitzy after her second drink.<p>

"Your mum?" said Joey.

"Yeah, she and Bridget are always looking for places to let their hair down without having to worry about anyone hassling them."

"Who is Bridget?"

"Mum's wife." She grinned at the looks on all their faces. "They've been together for 25 years now."

"Wow, that is love," murmured Charlie. "I can't ever imagine being with someone for that…oof," her sentence was cut off with an elbow to the ribs. "I'm joking Joey. You're the only one for me."

* * *

><p>"I'm not sure how I feel about this development," Joey murmured as they watched the couple slow dancing together.<p>

"They're just dancing."

"Georgie and Bianca were just dancing that time and look at how that ended."

"With Bianca leaving with Shannon that night," Charlie said. "They're both big girls and I'm sure they know what they're doing even when it's only dancing."

"Only dancing for now," she muttered.

* * *

><p>"Charlie, is that a new kind of dance they're doing now?" Joey asked her.<p>

Charlie glanced over her shoulder. Her eyes widened slightly at what she saw going on in the corner. "It's called the kiss chasy dance," she said. "Like I said Joey, they're both big girls."

"I know," replied Joey. "And I'd love for Shannon to find someone to settle down with, I'm just not sure if Shauna is the right woman."

"You're getting a bit ahead of yourself there Joey," Charlie said. "They've shared a dance and a kiss, they're hardly running off to get married."

"I know, I just don't want a repeat of Shauna and Bianca where Shannon is concerned," she said. "I have nothing against Shauna, but she doesn't plan on sticking around, not to mention she's no fan of kids and so I just don't want Shannon getting into a situation she might regret."

"Shannon is a free spirit who loves a good time, same with Shauna," said Charlie. "If they decide to have a good time together, that's their choice." She nudged her wife playfully. "Are you just jealous because you didn't get to play matchmaker this time?"

"I can be very good at matchmaking."

"And who in Summer Bay would you match Shannon up with if not for Shauna?"

Joey looked around the room. Her eyes fell on the pair ordering some food from the bar. "Fitzy, but since she's not a lesbian, then Leah," she concluded.

"Leah would be a good choice, provided they stayed within these walls, but what happens when Leah leaves the confines of this place and reverts back to the happily married to a man version of Leah?"

"So they set up home here?" she said with a wry grin. "I know I'm being silly."

"You're just being the overprotective friend who is looking out for her friend's heart," said Charlie. "I love that about you, but I think this is something we need to let play out. Besides, this could just be one of those nightclub flings that is forgotten about as soon as the fresh air hits them outside." Charlie caught movement. "See, it looks like Shauna is leaving on her own."

Shannon made her way over to them. "Hey guys, I'm going to say goodnight now," she said. "I'm heading off with Shauna."

"Oh, right," said Joey. "Have fun," she said, then frowned. That hadn't come out right.

"Oh believe me Joey, we intend to have fun," she said with a huge grin. "Don't wait up for me." Shannon was gone before Joey could say anything more.

"What were you saying Charlie about those nightclub flings?"

She just shrugged in reply.

"I must admit though, that Shannon did look like she was enjoying herself tonight," Joey said. There was a sparkle in her eye she hadn't seen in a long time. Maybe a fling was exactly what she needed and she was moving to the Bay with the intention of trying to find more time to just relax and have fun. "I just hope she knows what she's doing," she murmured to her wife.


	105. Chapter 105

"Cereal or cooked?" Charlie asked her wife when Joey walked into the kitchen the next morning.

"Depends on what you mean by cooked?"

"Cooked as in we go to the Diner and Leah cooks it for us," Charlie answered with a grin.

"After such a big night out," said Joey. "I highly doubt that Leah will even be capable of crawling out of bed at this time of morning, let alone being able to operate cooking utensils to cook for other people," she bemusedly said.

Since their friend worked such long hours running her own business, she really did love letting her hair down whenever she was able to and last night had been no different. Recalling the state their friend had been in when they'd tipped her out of the taxi and into the amused arms of her husband, Charlie nodded in agreement at her wife's assessment of what Leah's current state probably was. "That is an excellent point you just made, Joey," she said.

"So if Leah's not there working, then it would be just our luck that Colleen would be in charge of the Diner this morning."

"And cereal for brekkie it is," Charlie decided.

Joey grabbed the bowls before she sat down at the table. "Shannon didn't come home at all last night," she said.

"Did you really expect her too?"

"I guess not," murmured Joey.

Charlie glanced over her shoulder from the fridge and she didn't need to say anything for Joey to know what she was thinking.

"I know, I'm worrying too much about Shannon," said Joey. "It's just that I sometimes feel like she is deliberately avoiding serious relationships and settling for flings or relationships with women she knows won't last, just so she doesn't have to invest her heart into it too much," she said. "And this just feels like more of the same."

"You do realise that you just described how I was before I met you," Charlie said. "If my flings ever made it past the first night, they still didn't last for very long after that. You were my first long term relationship."

"Your reasons for avoiding real and lasting relationships were different though," replied Joey. "Your main focus was always on your work and you didn't want anything to get in the way of that."

"True," replied Charlie.

"Whereas Shannon's motives are purely driven by her emotions," Joey said. "Mandy has been gone for a long time now, yet I don't think Shannon has ever truly let her go," she said. "I also think that she's scared of loving again in case she ends up heartbroken again."

"Love and loss can be difficult to deal with and from the way Shannon has always spoken of Mandy, it sounds as if they were soul mates," Charlie said. "That's a tough act for any other woman to follow, at least in Shannon's eyes."

Joey nodded. Charlie was right. Mandy had been dead for two years prior to their meeting Shannon, yet there were times where they had felt as if they had known her, just from the way Shannon spoke of her. It was obvious Shannon still held a deep love for her wife, even after all of this time. If, god forbid, something were to happen to Charlie, Joey knew it would take her a long time to recover from such a devastating loss and while she knew Charlie would want her, even expect her, to move on with her life after a certain period of morning, whether she could do that was another matter. Joey shook herself from such morbid thoughts. Charlie was alive and well and she was staying that way.

"Shannon is a smart woman," Joey heard Charlie saying and she returned her attention back to her. "She also knows what she wants and I daresay, she'll know when she's ready for more," Charlie said to her.

"What if she's become stuck in a habit she can't break?"

Charlie smiled. "Then I guess a little assistance wouldn't hurt," she said. "But at the end of the day Joey, we need to respect Shannon's wishes."

"Always," she said. "You know, I really can't wait for Shannon and the kids to move here," said Joey. "And who knows, if she loves it so much, she might stay on past the 12 months."

"Already forward planning, are we?" Charlie said with a bemused smile.

Joey just grinned in reply. She knew she sometimes let her excitement get the better of her, but she didn't care. Shannon was like family and if 12 months was all she was here for, that was ok. It didn't hurt to hope for it to be longer though.

"Well however long Shannon is here for, it really is going to be great to have her around," Charlie told her. "And while she is here, we really should make sure we have more girls' nights like last night."

"It was great fun last night," agreed Joey. "I mean, aside from a little tension from having exes at the same table as the current squeeze."

"That was a bit awkward," murmured Charlie. "Especially when Shauna turned up, but even she seemed to relax a little as the night wore on," she said. "Maybe she and Bianca can sort through their mess before she leaves town after all."

"Might need a few more nights of booze and fun for that to happen."

"I'm sure we can enlist Shannon's or Fitzy's help there."

"Speaking of Fitzy, did you see the way she and Georgie were sizing each other up throughout the night?"

Charlie nodded. "I think Fitzy got the seal of approval from Georgie by the end."

"Do you actually think anything will come of her and Jack?"

"The interest is there on both sides, but I have a feeling that it's going to be all up to Jack to make the first move."

"Fitzy's not exactly the shy type, so I'm surprised she hasn't asked him out first."

"I had a similar discussion yesterday with Bianca," Charlie told her. "Jack has had to deal with a lot of changes in his life recently, including a marriage break up and the end of an affair with a woman he did care about, and so I sort of think Fitzy is just waiting for a sign from him that he's ready to move on."

"Makes sense," said Joey. "I do think Fitzy could be good for Jack though," she said. "She'd certainly keep him on his toes and make him laugh."

"She certainly has a wicked sense of humour, that's for sure."

"Fitzy is hilarious."

"So is a tipsy Leah," added Charlie.

"I so wish we'd thought to take a few videos of her antics last night," Joey said. "Especially her dancing prowess after a few drinks."

"Are you forgetting that Leah's husband is also my boss, Georgie's boss, Shauna's boss and Fitzy's boss?"

"Your point being?" Joey said cheekily.

"That you really do like to make my life hell."

"Of course," said Joey. "And don't you just love coming back for more."

"You are addictive, that's for sure," Charlie said with a despairing shake of her head, which just amused Joey further.

"Don't worry Charlie, you're not alone in being a lost cause," Joey told her. "Georgie's right up there with you."

"She really does have it bad for Bianca, doesn't she."

"Just a bit, but Bianca's not much better," said Joey. "It was really nice though, to see Georgie so relaxed and being herself out in public like that."

"I've noticed a real change in her since she admitted her love for Bianca," Charlie said. "She's far more comfortable and confident in herself and I'm kind of curious now, to see how that will translate to her work," she explained. "I've always held the belief that she was capable of being so much more as a police officer, if only she'd get over her insecurities and lack of self-esteem, so this is one time where I'm hopeful that part of an officer's private life will spill over into her professional life."

"It's funny how things can work out sometimes," said Joey. "One minute Georgie is this meek and unassuming woman who is unhappily married to a man, yet the moment she finally accepts her sexuality and love for Bianca, her whole attitude and world starts changing and for the better. She really does seem so much stronger as a person these days."

"Love can be a wonderful miracle worker."

"Yeah, look at how love thawed the stick in your frozen arse."

"Ha ha."

* * *

><p>"Morning ladies," Shannon sang out as she swanned into the house an hour later. "What a lovely morning it is."<p>

"What have you been smoking on this morning?" joked Charlie.

"Life," replied Shannon. "I've been smoking on the joys of life." She grinned. "You know ladies, I really do believe this place is going to be a great fit for me and exactly what I needed," she said. "It already feels like ideas for my next novel are starting to flow more freely." Her eyes twinkled as she added, "Must be the clean air."

"Or a night with a certain police officer," quipped Charlie.

"Or that," grinned Shannon. "Last night was most enjoyable," she said. "In every way."

"Are you going to be seeing Shauna again?" Joey asked.

"No idea," she replied. "Last night was just about having a great time together and we haven't really discussed anything beyond that," she said. "But if Shauna wants to have some more fun, I probably wouldn't say no to it."

"Joey's just a little concerned about the situation," Charlie said. "I told her you were both big girls, but she can't help herself."

"Gee thanks for dobbing, Charlie," muttered Joey.

"I already knew Joey, just by some of the looks we got from you when I was dancing with Shauna last night," Shannon said. "And I get why you're worried about me Joey, I really do," she said. "I also know what happened with Bianca and how Shauna has been dealing with it and other things, so rest assured, I went home with her last night with my eyes wide open as to where she is right now."

"And?"

"And we had a great time," she said. "Don't worry about me Joey, I know what I'm doing."

"I just want you to find some happiness."

"I will, one day," she said. "But until that day when a woman comes in and sweeps me off my feet happens, I'm just going to enjoy myself with the odd night of passion like last night." Shannon put her hand on Joey's shoulder. "I do appreciate the concern Joey. You're a good friend and I value your opinion," she told her. "But right now, I'm going to shower and change and then I'm yours for the next couple of hours."

"We were planning on going around to the boys for morning tea and to pick up Ruby," Charlie told her. "Then we can show you a little more of the town before you have to head back to the city."

"Sounds wonderful," said Shannon. "I won't be long."

"Wow, she's certainly chipper this morning," Charlie said the moment Shannon had skipped from the room.

"Yeah, she is," Joey said. "Maybe her going off with Shauna really was just the tonic she needed after all."


	106. Chapter 106

"Shoo," Joey said the next morning, refusing to open her eyes to the pesky prodding going on at her side. "Just because you have to get up, doesn't mean I have to."

"You expect me to have brekkie all by myself?" Charlie gasped in mock horror.

"Bloody hell Charlie, you're a police officer who deals with criminals all the time, so I'm sure you can manage with a cardboard box."

"I don't want cardboard," she complained. "I want cereal."

An eye cracked open. "What do you think the cereal is in?"

"Usually a cereal container," she pointed out. "Which someone forgot to refill when they finished it off yesterday."

"That would be you."

"Oh, right," she murmured.

"Charlie, I think you've been taking too many lessons from Ruby on this sort of behaviour."

"And who does Ruby get her lessons from?" Charlie cockily said. "You, which technically makes this all your fault."

"You have some weird arse logic."

"That's because I'm hungry."

"Then go eat."

"I'm hungry for something different now."

Giving up on any chance of a Sunday sleep in, Joey sat up. "What are you hungry for?"

"I'd love me some Joey," Charlie said, pouncing before her wife could react.

"Charlie," Joey giggled as her wife was all over her with lips and hands. "Stop it," Joey giggled even more when the hands attacked her tickle spots. Charlie silenced her giggles with her mouth.

"Mmm, tasty," Charlie said, then licking Joey's lips.

"Want some more?" said Joey. "Because I come in different flavours, depending on where you sample from."

"Like here?" said Charlie, her mouth now mere centimetres from Joey's nipple.

Joey nodded. "I know you're a fan of soft centres in hard shells." She gasped when Charlie's teeth gently grazed the nipple. "They're best sucked on, not bitten."

Smiling around the nipple, Charlie sucked. "Like this?" she mumbled around the hardened peak between her lips.

"Yep," squeaked Joey. Her nipples always became so sensitive to her wife's touch, especially when that touch involved her mouth.

"Ooh, another one," murmured Charlie, switching nipples. Back and forth she sampled, much to her wife's delight and Charlie's enjoyment.

Five minutes later, with her wife suitably worked up, Charlie dipped lower. "My favourite," said Charlie, swiping out with her tongue. The moment she flicked Joey's clit, her wife's hips bucked off the mattress. She swiped again and got the same response. She smirked. "Ok, I'm full now," Charlie said and moved away.

"What!" screeched an incredulous Joey. "You can't leave now."

"Well, I suppose I could try for seconds."

Joey had no time for further complaint as Charlie tucked in with mouth and fingers and she soon had Joey bucking and crying out. Then she went in for a third helping.

"Yes," Joey cried out one last time.

As Joey lay breathless, Charlie gazed up at her. "I love breakfast in bed."

"Me too," murmured a happy Joey.

* * *

><p>"How is Leah today?" Charlie asked her Sergeant when she walked into work an hour later.<p>

"Well, she spent all of Saturday recovering from Friday night, but I did notice some further signs of life this morning, not that she intended on moving far from the couch any time soon," he said with a completely straight face. Then he looked at his subordinate more sternly. "Why is it Charlie, that whenever my wife goes out with you and your wife, that she always ends up worse for wear?"

"She obviously doesn't have enough practice in keeping up with the Bucktons," replied Charlie. "But don't worry Peter, we'll be sure to change that when Shannon moves to town and we make girls night a more regular thing."

"Oh god," he groaned dramatically. "Just what I need."

"You should get some of the guys together for a boys night."

"We prefer the term, men's night," he corrected her. "And it would be more of a fishing trip than a night out."

"How did I know you'd say that," smirked Charlie. "Do you even fish?"

"That's beside the point," he said.

Charlie laughed at that. "Honestly Peter, I just can't picture you fishing."

"Good thing you won't be there then," he replied. "Now get to work you annoying person." Peter shook his head in amusement as Charlie sauntered over to her desk with a grin. There were times where it still surprised him at how much she'd changed since he'd first met her as a Probationary Constable, but he was glad she had. This Charlie was definitely an improvement on the Ice Queen, though just as annoying, just in a better way.

* * *

><p>Joey grimaced at the mess she found in the kitchen. "Ruby!" she yelled out.<p>

"Yes mum?" Ruby yelled back.

"Did you forget to do something?"

Ruby poked her head around the corner. "Oh."

"Yes, oh," Joey said.

"Sorry mum, I forgot."

"Ruby, how could you forget this disaster zone," she said.

"Indi called and I got distracted."

"Well clean up in here before you do anything else."

"Yes mum," mumbled Ruby. She walked over and stood in front of her mother, looking up at her. "Would you please be able to help me, because I don't think I can reach all the spots where the mixer sprayed too?"

Joey kept her expression neutral, despite the puppy dog look her daughter was giving her. Damn, Charlie was right. Ruby was picking up too many habits from her.

"Reach the areas you can, then I'll help with the rest," she told her. "And Ruby, the next time you use the mixer, remember to put the lid on first."

"Yes mum."

* * *

><p>"Joey's been bugging me for the past couple of weeks about going boating again and I've been resisting," Charlie said to the other two officers as they enjoyed their morning tea break.<p>

"I thought you found the first one very enjoyable," smirked Fitzy, since Charlie hadn't been able to contain the glow she'd had the whole week following that boating trip.

"Not necessarily the boat ride there, but the day as a whole was damn enjoyable and I want more of the same," she said. "I just don't want Joey to know that just yet."

"Ah, so you're only pretending to be playing hard to get."

"Yep," Charlie said. "I'm hoping if I hold out for long enough, then she'll be more open to doing things my way," she said. "Maybe even offer to let me drive the boat on the way out this time."

"I'd love to take a boat trip one day," said Shauna.

"Why don't you?" said Charlie.

"It seems like something you'd do with someone and I don't have that someone."

"You could always just go with friends," Charlie suggested to her.

"No way are you getting me anywhere near a boat," Fitzy hurriedly said.

"You don't like boats?" Charlie queried.

"I don't like being in water where my feet can't touch the bottom."

"You wouldn't be in the water though," Charlie pointed out. "That is what the boat is for, to stand on."

"Nope, nothing would get me on a boat," she adamantly stated.

"Well then, maybe Shannon would like to go with you one day, Shauna."

"Very subtle Charlie," Shauna said, but she was smiling.

Charlie had noticed she was doing that a lot more recently, which made her even more appreciative of the way Fitzy had come in and taken Shauna under her wing, so to speak.

"Shannon and I had fun the other night," said Shauna. "But it doesn't mean anything other than that."

"Well I think you should go for it with Shannon," said Fitzy.

"We did," smirked Shauna. "Continuously throughout the night."

"I wasn't talking about Shannon as a bed buddy," she said. "I meant as something more."

"Jesus, we only just met and you're already pairing us off."

"You did that when you went home together."

"It was a one night stand, nothing more."

"So you have no interest whatsoever in Shannon beyond that night?" Charlie asked her so as to see just where Shauna stood on this.

"I didn't say that," replied Shauna. "I like Shannon and if I was sticking around, I could see us becoming good friends, with maybe some benefits on the side, but that's it," she said. "I just have no interest at the moment in looking for anything beyond great sex with a beautiful woman."

Charlie bit her tongue, since it was as friends that she had fallen for Bianca and she hoped it didn't go the same way, because she'd hate to see either of them end up hurt due to one of them having unrequited feelings for the other.

"I get that you got burnt by the whole Bianca thing," Fitzy said. "But it doesn't mean the same is going to happen with every woman."

"I know that, but there are at least two very good reasons as to why Shannon and I would never work beyond being friends with benefits. For starters, she's got kids and in case you haven't heard, I'm not a fan of little tackers."

"They're hardly little," said Charlie. "Lachie and Sammy are around the same age as Ruby."

"They're still kids," said Shauna.

"Ok, then what's the other reason?" asked Fitzy.

"The other reason is Shannon," replied Shauna. "She's emotionally unavailable, because she's still hung up on her dead wife."

Shauna's accurate perception of Shannon surprised Charlie. It had certainly taken her longer than a single meeting to figure that out about her friend, yet Shauna had spent one night with the woman and knew. Then again, Shauna had gotten closer to Shannon in a way she never had before.

"Seems to me as if you're just looking for excuses as a way to avoid having any real relationship with Shannon or any woman for that matter," said Fitzy.

"You're a good one to talk," fired back Shauna.

"What do you mean?"

"You and Jack," Charlie couldn't resist in saying.

"What's Jack got to do with this?"

Charlie and Shauna smiled knowingly at each other. Neither Jack nor Fitzy, seemed to be aware of just how obvious they were being over their mutual attraction to each other.

"Just that you should be taking your own advice and just go for it with Jack," Shauna said.

Fitzy's face flamed red.

"It's obvious you like him," said Charlie. "So why not just go for it?"

"Fine, I do like him, but he's just ended a marriage and a relationship."

"Seems to me as if you're just looking for excuses," Shauna nonchalantly repeated Fitzy's own words back to her.

"How soon is Shannon planning on moving here?" Fitzy asked as a diversion.

"She intended to start organising things as soon as she got home yesterday, with the hope she'd be ready to move in by next weekend," Charlie replied. "Now, back to you and Jack."

"There is no me and Jack."

"Yet."

Fitzy glanced at her watch. "Oh look, break time is over."

"Wimp," Shauna called out as Fitzy made a fast getaway.

"You can talk," Fitzy called back.

"You think they'll ever get their act together?" Shauna said.

"Hopefully they'll figure it out eventually."

"Charlie, about Shannon," said Shauna. "Are you and Joey ok with us hooking up the other night?"

"Let's just say Joey was concerned, but only because she worries about Shannon," Charlie told her. "Shannon is like a big sister to Joey and they're both rather protective of each other."

"Yeah, I got that impression from Shannon."

"She really is a wonderful woman."

"You don't need to convince me about Shannon, Charlie," she said. "And it still doesn't change anything, for either of us."

"Fair enough," said Charlie. "Just don't be surprised if a certain nose sticks itself in."

Shauna grinned. "Shannon offered to make a bet on how long it'd take Joey to do just that."

"Oh boy, my wife is going to be so disappointed that she's become so predictable," Charlie chuckled.


	107. Chapter 107

"Careful," Shannon said when Joey nearly lost hold of the box she was carrying. "That's fragile."

"Please don't tell me that while I'm still holding it," muttered a now nervous Joey.

"Here, let me help," Shauna said, taking the box from Joey before she lost her grip entirely.

"Thanks," said Joey. "Now, where are the boxes that won't break?"

"The linen boxes are," Shannon paused and looked around the room where the movers had placed all of her belongings. "In here somewhere," she murmured.

"Well, this isn't one of them," said Fitzy, placing her box back onto the ground. "It rattles."

"You really needed a better system for when you were packing everything up," Charlie said. "Like writing on the boxes which room they should go in."

"Hey, at least I wrote fragile on the fragile ones," Shannon said. "Honestly though, I was just looking forward to the move so much, that I didn't really think too hard about the packing, outside of getting everything into the boxes," she said. Once she'd left the Bay last weekend, she really hadn't wasted any time in organising things and moving day had come along quickly. Perhaps a little too quickly given the current chaos of her new house.

"Why don't you just open up all the boxes first so that you can see what is inside them and then move them to their proper room to be unpacked," Georgie suggested from where she was currently camped out on Shannon's leather armchair.

"That actually makes sense," said Fitzy.

"Common sense has no place here today," Joey said with a grin.

Charlie turned to her friend. "You know Georgie, you could offer to help out a little more beyond giving us a running commentary on what we're doing wrong," she said to her.

"I'm an injured pregnant woman," Georgie reminded them with a smirk. "You're damn lucky Bianca even lets me out of the house without wrapping me in cotton wool first."

"Yet I'm betting your injuries don't prevent certain goings on in the bedroom," smirked Joey and both Bianca and Georgie flushed red. "Yeah, just as I figured."

"If you really want to get into a debate on whether I'm earning my keep today, then I clearly have the hardest job here," Georgie said. "Keeping an eye on the kids is a fulltime job."

"She's got you there, Joey," said Shannon. "My kids, plus Ruby and she's got her hands full."

Joey looked over to where the kids were playing out in the yard. "Yeah, they're really a handful right now."

"How about I help out by getting everyone a drink," offered Georgie.

"Now you're talking," said Joey.

* * *

><p>"Ok, we've been silent on this all morning in the hopes that you'd spill, but you haven't," Charlie said Fitzy while they had another mini drinks break from their work. "Now spill."<p>

"Spill what?"

"You, Jack and your date tonight," Charlie said.

"How in the hell did you know about that?" Fitzy said in surprise.

"Georgie told us yesterday."

Fitzy turned to Georgie. "How did you know?"

"Jack told me," she said. "He wanted to make sure I was ok with him dating a colleague, since we're all going to be working together at some stage."

"He actually spoke to you about our date?"

Georgie nodded. "We talk about a lot of things these days, which is funny, since communication and honesty didn't play a big part in our marriage toward the end," she said somewhat wryly. "Any way, Jack just wanted to be upfront about going out with you, both for Romeo's sake and because of our future work situation. He wants to avoid any potential awkwardness."

"And you're ok with me and Jack going on a date?"

"Yeah, I am," she replied. "We've all had to adjust to changes in our lives lately and Jack deserves to get on with his life, just as I have."

"It's just a date and it might not even work out between us," murmured Fitzy.

"Don't go getting all negative now when you haven't even gone on the date yet," said Bianca. "A date you were rather neglectful in telling us about," she added. "So now you owe us the details. Who asked who out?"

"I asked him," Fitzy admitted. She shrugged. "I got sick of waiting for him."

"That's 20, Charlie," Joey said, holding her hand out toward her wife.

"I'll give it to you later," muttered Charlie.

Fitzy glanced between the two women. "Did you two have a bet on me?"

"More like the three of us," Shauna said. "I'll have to give you my 20 later too," she said to Joey.

"Let me get this right," said Fitzy. "You bet on who would ask who out first?"

"Yep," said Charlie. "Joey picked you to be the asker."

"Wish I'd thought to run a betting game on how long it'd take for Charlie and Joey to get their act together," Shannon said. "I'd have made an absolute fortune back then."

"We were a little slow off the mark," conceded Charlie. "But in fairness to us, we were under unusual circumstances at the time."

"Two hot lesbians living under the same roof and playing keepings off, yep, unusual alright," teased Shannon.

"I've yet to hear all the details on your courtship," said Fitzy. "But I've heard enough snippets to know it was interesting though."

"Well Fitzy my dear, listen closely while we work and I'll give you all the juicy goss," Shannon told her.

"Bear in mind that she's a writer who embellishes everything she says," Joey warned her.

"That's what makes it so good," snickered Fitzy.

* * *

><p>Charlie flopped onto the chair and put her feet up onto one of the boxes. "Man, am I buggered."<p>

"And we're only halfway done," said Joey at her side.

"Please don't tell me that," Charlie whined.

Shauna stretched her back. "Wish I'd switched shifts now with Patrick," she muttered.

"Are you saying you'd prefer to work than help me move in?" Shannon asked.

"Yes," Shauna replied straight away. "Especially after seeing how much stuff you have," she said, waving her hand at the remaining boxes. "Ever thought of having a cull instead of lugging every damn item you've owned in your entire life?"

"Ok, so I'm a pack rat who has trouble getting rid of things."

"You should have had Joey come up there to help you from the start," Charlie said to her friend. "Joey has no problem with travelling light."

"And proud of it," said Joey. "Better than having your suitcases come to life the moment you open them."

"Is this another one of those embarrassing Charlie stories?" asked a grinning Shannon, to which Joey nodded.

"Do you have to take such delight in my misfortunes?" Charlie complained.

"Yes," replied everyone else.

Charlie scowled at them all, but her eyes were laughing. "I bet you've all had embarrassing things happen to you."

"Of course," Bianca replied. "But not all of us are married to a blabber mouth who revels in telling everyone about it though," she pointed out.

"I'll have you know that Charlie happens to love my mouth," Joey proudly said. "Along with my other attributes."

"I bet she does," sniggered Georgie.

"I do," said Charlie. "Except for all the annoying bits."

"Annoying bits?" quizzed Joey with a raised brow.

"Care to fill us in on what those annoying bits are?" asked a mirthful Shauna.

"I could but there are kids within earshot," replied Charlie.

"Going by Joey's expression, I think Charlie has some explaining to do later," laughed Bianca.

"And it better be good," said Joey.

"It will be Joey," Charlie told her. "In fact, I can assure you that you'll wholeheartedly enjoy my explanation."

"In that case, I look forward to it."

* * *

><p>"Typical, the man arrives after most of the work has already been done," Joey called out as they watched from the veranda as Peter walked up the path with Leah.<p>

"Timing is everything," quipped Peter. "We do come bearing food though."

"Oh you're a life saver," said Shannon. "I hadn't even thought of tea yet."

"Well I felt bad about not being able to help with the moving in, so this is my way of making up for it," explained Leah. "Oh and to officially welcome you to Summer Bay."

"Thank you Leah," Shannon said, touched by Leah's actions. "It smells wonderful."

"It really does," murmured Joey, her eyes not moving from the container as it passed from Leah to Shannon.

"There's more than enough for everyone," Leah said.

"Minus me," said Fitzy. "I really have to get going now or I won't be ready in time."

"Ready for what?" asked Leah.

"Her date with Jack," Peter said.

"Is there anyone who doesn't know about my date?" bemoaned Fitzy.

"Doubtful," replied Peter.

Fitzy just rolled her eyes. Getting used to the way small towns operated was something she was still adjusting to.

"Thanks for all your help today," Shannon said to her.

"My pleasure."

"Fitzy, can I get a lift back into town with you?" asked Shauna.

"You're not staying for tea?" said Shannon. She briefly wondered if Shauna wanting to leave was anything to do with the fact the kids were now milling around them, instead of being off playing elsewhere.

"I have a date as well," she said and Shannon nearly said something in reply, but Shauna got in first. "With my mum. I promised I'd take her to that new movie showing at the cinema."

"Well thanks for coming today," Shannon said.

"Call me if you need anything," Shauna said as she followed after Fitzy.

"And by anything, I think she means." Joey's words were cut off by her wife's hand over her mouth.

"Just ignore my wife, it's been a long day," Charlie said to everyone else.

"How about we just eat," suggested Leah. She laughed at the enthusiastic nodding and mumbling coming from Joey's direction. "This is a lovely place by the way," she said to Shannon.

"It was very easy to fall in love with it."

"I can see why," said Charlie. It had that homey, comfy feeling that was very appealing. "I'd have loved to have moved here myself."

"Yeah and we could have put in a little hen hutch for our chickens," Joey said when she was finally allowed to talk again.

"Our chickens?"

"Charlie, you can't live in a farmhouse and not have chooks," she said as if it should have been obvious to her wife.

"Mum, can we have chooks?" Lachie suddenly asked his mother.

"And a rabbit?" added Sammy.

"Thanks a lot Charlie," muttered Shannon.

"How is this my fault?"

"You took your hand away," she replied.

"Can we mum," her kids appealed to her again. "Please?"

"Puppy first, then we'll see," she told them.

Charlie looked down at Ruby. Uh oh, there was that look she dreaded and she now had an unfortunate feeling that Ruby would want her current menagerie of animals to expand to live ones.

"If she asks for a puppy or chooks or anything else that wiggles, then you can be the one to let her down," she whispered to Joey, before she walked back inside with the others.


	108. Chapter 108

Two days after helping Shannon move house, Charlie came home from work to find a new addition to her own house.

"What is that?" she said, pointing it out with her finger for extra emphasis.

"It's a kitten," Joey said and Charlie thought she looked far too pleased with herself.

"Let me rephrase," said Charlie as the kitten bounded around the room, chasing what looked to be a piece of fluff. "What is that doing here?" she asked.

"I bought him."

Charlie sighed. Just as she'd dreaded, not long after they'd gotten home the other day, Ruby had begun on the _can I pretty please have a pet_ spiel and just as she'd also dreaded, Joey had caved in on the issue. She put her hands on her hips and stared at her wife. "So is giving into Ruby's pleas your idea of letting her down easy?"

"Pets are good for kids," Joey told her in explanation for the purchase. "They teach children about responsibility."

"More like you just couldn't say no, could you?"

She shook her head with a sheepish smile. "And it's not Ruby's fault," Joey told her. "We went puppy shopping at the pet store with Shannon and the kids and while they were choosing their puppy, this little voice just started mewling at me," she said. "He was saying,_ please take me home with you_." She pointed to the little ball of fur that had resumed his pursuit of the fluff. "How could I say no to such adorableness?"

Charlie rolled her eyes. She knew that the moment Joey had walked into that pet store, that there had been no way of her leaving empty handed on the way out. She looked down at their newest family member, just as his front paws caught in the carpet and he tumbled over into a headfirst summersault. He quickly sat straight up and looked around, as if hoping no one had seen his tumble. Charlie felt her heart melting. "No, hold firm," she told herself. Then he looked up at her, meowed once and then started licking his paw and washing himself. "He is kind of adorable." The words had escaped her lips before she could stop them.

"His name is Boxer," Joey told her, while she was feeling very smug inside. She knew her former ice queen would get sucked in just as easily as she had.

"Is he called Boxer because of his front paws?" she asked, since he had two white paws. Actually, Charlie thought that his black and white markings made it appear as if he was wearing a tuxedo, complete with little bow tie and white gloves.

"No, he's called Boxer because of this," Joey said. She squatted down in front of the kitten and held her hand out, with her fingers pointing up toward the ceiling. Charlie watched on in amusement as Boxer sat back on his haunches and tapped at Joey's hand with his paws, just like a little boxer would. Joey was grinning from ear to ear when Charlie squatted down next to her and held out her own hand. Boxer moved over to her and sniffed her hand. He seemed to like what he smelt, because the next second he was licking Charlie's hand. It tickled and when she moved her hand in response, he reared back in surprise. He came sniffing back just as quickly and then his soft little paws were boxing at her hand.

"He likes you," Joey told her.

"I just can't let you out of the house, can I?" said Charlie while most of her attention was on the little fur ball playing with her hand.

"As if you would have had any more luck resisting him if you'd been the one at the store," teased Joey.

"I'm sure I would have managed to resist just fine," she firmly stated as she scooped the kitten into her hands. He was literately vibrating in her hands as he purred loudly and contentedly.

"Yep, there's your resistance right there," chuckled Joey.

"Oh shut up," muttered Charlie. "Not you Boxer," she said when the purring momentarily paused. He resumed almost immediately as he curled up into a little bundle of fluff and closed his eyes.

"Good luck doing anything other than being a kitten carrier from for the next few hours," Joey told her with a laugh.

* * *

><p>"Whoa, what the hell is for tea?" Charlie said two hours later when she walked into the kitchen. Her nose turned up at the very strong and unpleasant fishy aroma coming from the counter.<p>

"Tuna and shrimp in jelly," replied Joey. "I'm sure Boxer won't mind sharing some of it with you."

Charlie blushed as she realised it was the cat's food that she was smelling and not their own food.

Joey scooped up a spoonful and held it out to Charlie. "Sure you don't want to try some?"

"Ugh," murmured Charlie and she backed away quickly. She nearly tripped over the kitten as he came flying into the kitchen. He ran to Joey and circled in and out of her legs, meowing loudly in a plea for her to hurry up.

"Hold on a second, Boxer," said Joey.

"Impatience for food seems to run in the family," Charlie bemusedly said.

Joey walked to the laundry and set the plate down for him. She hadn't even straightened up when he was lapping at the food as if he'd never been fed before.

"Boxer's breath is going to be so lovely by the time he's done eating this," Joey said, giving the kitten an affectionate pat as he hoovered up his food.

Charlie shuddered. It was only twenty minutes or so ago when the kitten had been nose to nose with her and his tongue had flicked out at her nose.

"Please tell me there is some sort of breath freshener for cats." All Charlie got in reply was more of her wife's chuckling.

* * *

><p>"Once upon a time, there was a beautiful princess who lived in this magical palace," Bianca was saying and Georgie giggled. She was sitting on the couch with Bianca lying with her head on her lap, talking directly to her belly. It was becoming a familiar thing for Bianca to tell bedtime stories to their baby and as silly as it looked for a grown woman to be talking to a belly, she was beyond touched at the way Bianca had become so excited about the baby.<p>

"This palace could be found between these two lovely mountain peaks."

"Bianca!" Georgie squeaked when Bianca's hands squeezed her breasts.

"Sorry, I can't help it," smirked Bianca, keeping up a gentle kneading. "They're just becoming such a lovely handful."

Georgie was still in her first trimester, so her body hadn't really change all that much with her pregnancy just yet, but Bianca seemed to feel that she was growing in all the right places. That was, the places Bianca loved the most and boy, did her girlfriend love to personally check for herself every chance she got. She barely needed to bother with a bra whenever they were alone, since Bianca's hands were always there, holding her. Bianca treated her in such a way, that as self-conscious as she had become about her body when she'd been pregnant with Romeo, Georgie had no doubt that this time around, Bianca would be making her feel like the most beautiful woman in the world as her body grew with this baby.

Her breath caught when she felt lips around her nipple. It didn't matter that there was a barrier of material between her nipples and Bianca's mouth, her body responded as it always did at Bianca's touch. "Bedroom, now," she said and her words were barely out of her mouth when Bianca was on her feet and pulling her along for the ride.

* * *

><p>Charlie yawned as she started to wake the next morning. Then she frowned. Her head felt heavy, not to mention hot. She raised her hand and groaned when she felt something soft and furry sitting right on her forehead.<p>

"Joey, that damn cat is sleeping on my head," she whined.

"And here I thought you were making a fashion statement with a new type of hat," Joey said as she fell into a fit of giggles.

* * *

><p>Shannon threw back her bedcovers. Shauna had come by last night to see if she'd settled in ok and had ended up staying the night. Well, most of the night. She wasn't surprised that Shauna had left at the crack of dawn. Anything to avoid being seen by the kids. Shannon let out a soft sigh. Her kids didn't care if she brought a woman home, because they'd long ago realised that their mother needed adult company, not that they were aware of just what that adult company involved, though these days, kids did seem to pick up a lot of knowledge via other kids and the internet. "Stop rambling," she murmured to herself as she reached for her clothes.<p>

Her mind returned to last night. While she'd never ruled out having more sexual encounters with Shauna, she was somewhat surprised at how quickly they had fallen back into bed with each other and it worried her that maybe she and Shauna weren't such a good idea after all. It didn't matter that the sex was so fucking great between them, she shouldn't let it become a habit. She also didn't want Shauna to end up with the wrong idea. As much as she liked Shauna, there was no future for them beyond friendship and since Shauna had already been hurt once by falling for a friend, last night couldn't happen again, she decided.

* * *

><p>"The damn thing follows me everywhere," Charlie complained to Shauna and Fitzy over their morning tea break. "At first it was cute, but now he's like one of those flies that won't leave you alone no matter how much you swat at it," she said. "The bloody thing even follows me into the bathroom and just sits there, staring at me while I'm on the bloody dunny." She glared at her two friends when all they did was laugh at her.<p>

"I think the lady doth protest too much," Shauna teasingly said. "That little bundle of joy is all you've talked about since you got here."

"Bundle of horror is more like it," muttered Charlie, which just set her friends off with renewed giggles. "So Fitzy, how did your big date with Jack go?" she asked. Fitzy stopped giggling, just as Charlie had planned.

"Yes, do tell," said Shauna.

"It was nice."

"And?" Charlie said.

"And I don't kiss and tell," replied Fitzy.

"So there was kissing?" said a bemused Charlie.

"No comment," muttered Fitzy. "What about you and Shannon, anything further happening there?" she said to Shauna in an attempt to deflect from herself.

"I'm happy to kiss and tell, so yeah, I spent last night with her," Shauna freely admitted.

"Gee, it's starting to sound serious between you two," said Fitzy.

"Only if you think that a couple of nights of no-strings sex is something serious," replied Shauna. "I keep telling you, there is nothing romantic between Shannon and me and there never will be."

"I think the lady doth protest too much," Fitzy repeated Shauna's earlier words back at her.

"Honestly, I have no interest in a relationship with anyone right now, let alone a single mother with two kids," Shauna said. "But I'm certainly not going to say no to having great sex with her." She then smirked at her friend. "Weren't we meant to be talking about your date with Jack?"

"Actually, I thought it was Charlie's pussy that we were talking about," Fitzy casually replied. Both women looked to Charlie.

"Pussy cat," she said. "And I hope to god Joey doesn't start on the pussy jokes next," she muttered.

* * *

><p>"What a peaceful day this has turned out to be," Charlie said as she climbed under the bedcovers with her wife. "Even the crooks kept it to a minimum today," she said. "Not to mention fur ball keeping himself occupied with Ruby since I got home." She'd barely seen said fur ball since she'd arrived home, which meant she'd been able to relax without worrying she'd be wearing a cat any time soon.<p>

"Sounds like you didn't need to expend a lot of energy today," Joey said. "Does that mean more for me?"

"Well, I do need to work off some of this energy if I'm ever going to be able to sleep tonight," Charlie told her as she moved over her wife. Their lips met briefly, then more firmly as their passion took over.

Then Charlie stopped.

"What is it?" Joey said, surprised when Charlie broke the kiss the way she had. Her wife was frowning now.

"Joey, please tell me that is you playing with my feet."

"Not unless I have an extra set of hands," she said, running her hands along Charlie's side to make a point.

"Oh god, he's in bed with us again," Charlie said. She moved off Joey and threw back the covers in one movement, revealing their extra bedmate. Boxer didn't seem to care that he'd been busted as he went chasing after Charlie's feet again. She moved them out of the way, which he thought was part of the game, so he pounced, only to miss when her feet moved again.

"He thinks you're playing with him," laughed Joey.

"If you call killing the mood playing, then he's definitely doing that," she mumbled, but her wife was too busy enjoying the duel between Charlie's feet and the kitten to reply. Joey was laughing even harder after a yelp from Charlie when Boxer had finally latched onto his prey.

* * *

><p>Shannon turned her head. Shauna was sleeping peacefully at her side. So much for her saying this couldn't happen again. She'd never said that to Shauna though. The words just had never come. She had though. More than once and her body was still feeling the highs of their intense coupling. There was no denying the sex was great, so why should she deprive herself of such an enjoyable experience, Shannon asked herself. Plus there was the way Shauna acted around her. Everything she said and did suggested that Shauna still knew and understood that this was just sex between friends and nothing more, so she probably needn't worry about Shauna ending up hurt after all. Yet there was a warning in her head that wouldn't go away and she didn't know why.<p> 


	109. Chapter 109

Fitzy sighed heavily as she took her seat behind her desk.

"Problems?" asked Charlie. Ever since she'd been seeing Jack, Fitzy had been walking around with a permanent smile on her face, so it was unusual to see her a little out of sorts like today.

"Jack stayed over at my place last night," she muttered.

"And that's bad?"

"No, last night was great," she said. "It was this morning when he left." Fitzy looked at Charlie. "He walked right into you know who."

Charlie covered her mouth to hide her smile.

"It's not funny," Fitzy said when she saw the laughter in Charlie's eyes. "That Smart woman is everywhere and now she's probably blabbed to everyone that she caught Jack coming out of my place first thing in the morning."

"So what?" said Charlie. "Everyone knows you and Jack have been dating recently."

"But now they'll know we're doing it."

"Sex does generally happen in relationships."

"I was just hoping for the chance to meet Romeo before he heard about his father staying the night," she said.

"When are you meeting him?"

"Tomorrow," she replied. "Jack has him for the weekend, so we're all meant to be going out for lunch together."

"And you're nervous about it and that's the real reason for your pensive mood today, right?"

"That obvious?"

Charlie nodded in reply.

"I know it's silly, since I genuinely get along well with kids, but this is different," said Fitzy. "This is the son of the man I'm dating and it changes everything," she said. "It's like an added pressure because I really want him to like me."

"Bianca said something similar when she started dating Georgie," Charlie told her. "And even though she was Romeo's teacher and he already liked her, she was still as nervous as hell about him finding out about her and his mother, but in the end, it all worked out fine," she said. "Just as I'm sure tomorrow will go well for you."

"I hope so," said Fitzy. Then she smiled wryly at Charlie. "At least you were lucky with the way you got to meet your girlfriend's daughter. You were already living together."

"At the time, I'd definitely say that I wasn't feeling very lucky with the living arrangements," a mirthful Charlie said. "And the only thing worse than being stuck under the same roof with a child, was being under the same roof as that child's incredibly annoying mother."

Fitzy had a good chuckle at that. Even with the lavish embellishments Shannon had added, the story of how Joey and Charlie had gotten together had been an enjoyable tale to hear.

"And how are the latest living arrangements going with your newest family member?" Fitzy asked her.

"In the last couple of days, he's really started to settle in nicely," replied Charlie.

"In other words, he's completely taken over the house."

"Yep," she said with a nod. "The fur ball struts around as if he owns the place and we're his humans, there to do his bidding."

"And do you?"

Charlie flushed slightly. "He's kind of hard to say no to."

"You're a big softy, you know that, right?"

"So my wife and kid keep telling me," she mumbled.

Fitzy chuckled again. For all her supposed ice queen reputation, the Charlie she knew was the exact opposite. That didn't mean that Charlie couldn't still give a thorough dressing down to any idiot who deserved it, for she could, it just meant that she was a far more pleasant person to be around the rest of the time, than the woman she apparently used to be.

"So, anymore cat hats and peeping tom antics?"

"No and thankfully he's stop being such a mood killer in the bedroom as well," said Charlie. "He's even found a new favourite place to curl up for the night and it's outside of our room."

"What could possibly be better than sharing a bed with two of his favourite humans?"

"Ruby's basket of soft toys," she said with a laugh. "He gets right in there and it's hard to tell kitten from toy."

"Have a prod or two and I'm sure his claws will let you know which one he is."

"Already figured that out," muttered Charlie. She'd quickly discovered as a new cat owner, that cat scratches were right up there with paper cuts as being annoying and painful.

* * *

><p>"You're quiet today," Joey noted to her silent and brooding friend. "Want to talk about whatever it is that is bothering you?"<p>

"Not really," replied Shannon. She sighed and sat back in her chair. "I just have a lot on my mind is all."

"Wasn't the whole point of this move to relax and get away from the stress of everything?"

Shannon nodded while she muttered, "That was the aim, but it seems like I've walked right into more of it instead." Or more to the point, she'd slept her way into it. Pretty much every night had been spent with Shauna in her bed. And pretty much every morning when she woke up alone, she vowed that would be the last. It was a pointless vow, for she knew she had no intention of following through with it and each night after proved that. The problem was, it really was becoming dangerous territory. Shauna was a friend and the more times they slept together, the harder it was going to be to keep it at just being friends. Anything beyond friendship just couldn't happen. Shauna's reluctance to have anything to do with her kids made her the most unsuitable of partners, even had she been looking for one, which Shannon most certainly wasn't. She felt so powerless right now though. Not to mention confused.

"Care to elaborate on that muttering?" said Joey, breaking into Shannon's thoughts.

"Not really."

"Should I remind you, of how you used to always bug me whenever I was in a funk until I spilled everything to you," Joey said with a smile.

"That's different," replied Shannon.

"It always is when the shoe is on the other foot," she said. "And need I remind you that I can be just as annoyingly determined as you when it comes to wheedling out information?"

"Do your best," Shannon challenged her. "You won't break me."

"I brought down Cruella de Bitch, I can certainly bring down Jessica Fletcher."

"No chance," said Shannon. "Unlike Charlie, I have nerves of steel and your feminine wiles won't work on me."

"True, different tactics might be required," murmured a thoughtful looking Joey and Shannon smiled, already feeling better. Moving to Summer Bay and being closer to her friends was definitely the right move on her part.

"I promise Joey, when I'm ready, I'll come to you," she told her. "I just have a few things to figure out first."

"Fair enough," Joey said. "Now, how are the kids settling in?"

"Wonderfully," replied Shannon and started to tell Joey all about it.

* * *

><p>After a taxing day at work, Charlie took a moment to lie on the couch and relax while Joey and Ruby prepared tea. She'd no sooner closed her eyes when she heard a noise. It was the bell on Boxer's collar and even with her eyes closed, Charlie knew he was in stalking mode, ie. he was crouched on the floor nearby and his little bum would be wiggling as he prepared to pounce at something. Her. He landed on her stomach with a deft touch. She absolutely refused to give any indication that she was aware of his presence as he ever so slowly made his way upward, his paws so light against her with each step. It was becoming harder to remain still, especially when she felt the tickle of his whiskers and his breath on her face. Thank god he had yet to eat or this already would have been over.<p>

When the gentle tapping of paw to nose began, it was almost too much for her, but she held firm as he boxed her nose repeatedly. However, the moment Boxer's raspy tongue licked the tip of her nose, she finally broke. She screwed up her nose and opened her eyes at him. Charlie swore the kitten was smirking with self-satisfaction at her.

"You've been around Joey too long," she murmured and he purred in response. Charlie reached up and patted him. His purring intensified and he head butted her face in a loving gesture.

"Nice one Boxer," Joey said from where she stood at the door. "You're training her well."

"The only training going on here, is us humans reminding him of his place."

"From where I'm looking, that would be on top," smirked Joey. "He's got you wrapped around his little paws, Charlie."

"He's got you too."

"Yeah, but at least I'm willing to admit that I've been pussy whipped."

Charlie winced. The pussy jokes had come fast and thick the past couple of days and she was counting down the days when Joey tired of them.

"Dinner time, Boxer," Joey said and the kitten seemed to understand as he raced after her. "Don't forget to bring your human along."

"Ha, ha," Charlie said as she followed.


	110. Chapter 110

"They're not even married," Colleen complained for the zillionth time since yesterday.

"That's not true," said Leah. "Jack is married," she told Colleen. "It just happens to be to a different woman than to the one you saw him with," she couldn't resist adding with a chuckle.

"He should be with his wife, not his hussy."

"I doubt his wife would agree, since she's happily living with her own hussy."

"It's all so wrong."

"It's the 21st Century Colleen, perhaps you should try and join the rest of us here one day," Irene suggested to her.

Colleen humpfed, muttered something about needing to get something from the kitchen and quickly scurried away.

"My god that woman's attitude could cause a saint to pull their hair out in frustration," muttered Irene.

"And she'll never change," added Leah. Noticing her two friends were at the counter, Leah folded her arms and stared sternly at both Charlie and Joey. "I hope you realise what you've done," she said. "Thanks to you and Shannon, VJ now wants a pet."

"Sorry," Joey said, grinning like the Cheshire cat. "What are you getting him?"

"Nothing yet," she replied. "After the trouble he got into with Ailsa's store, we told him he needed to stay on his best behaviour before we would even consider getting a pet," she said.

"Damn, why didn't we think of that," murmured Charlie.

"Because Ruby hasn't gotten into any trouble for a while now," Joey pointed out. "Besides, you love having Boxer around."

"Yeah, I love having my ankles attacked and my place in the house usurped by a four legged fur ball with delusions of grandeur," she sarcastically replied.

"It must be love," teased Leah, which Charlie vehemently denied with some furious headshaking.

"Denial is the first step," Joey sagely explained to Leah. "It was the same with us. First she denied her feelings for me and now she's doing the same with poor Boxer."

"You're not in the least bit jealous of their burgeoning love for each other?" Leah managed to ask with a straight face.

"Not at all," replied a gravely serious Joey. "We have enough love for everyone and we don't discriminate."

"Oh for fuck's sake," Charlie mumbled. "It's a bloody cat."

"Who continues to get the better of you."

"Nonsense," said Charlie.

"I might have to see this for myself," Leah said. "But in the meantime, I need to start chopping some salad up."

"Leah, when our food is ready, just tap on the plate with the fork and Charlie will come running like a good little kitty."

Charlie groaned and Leah laughed as she walked away. Joey reached over to her wife and patted her on the head. "There, there, no need to be a cranky puss."

Charlie scowled in reply, so Joey scratched her behind her ear, just as she did with Boxer. Charlie's leg shook in a mock imitation of Boxer's usual pleasurable response to an ear scratch.

"Careful Joey, we're in public and you might not like a purring wife."

"I'd love me a purring wife," she whispered to her. "With some privacy, of course."

"Then you'd better stop before I end up on my back on this counter with my arms and legs up in the air." Charlie's leg went still the moment Joey pulled her hand away.

"That might have been fun to see."

"Yes and can you imagine the looks on everyone else's face when they saw a local copper lying on the counter in her uniform and purring till her heart's content?" said Charlie. "Oh never mind," she muttered when she saw the glint in Joey's eyes at that image.

Before either could say anything more, there was a tapping sound, followed by the soft cry of Leah's, "Din dins, Charlie."

"Oh, I am so going to make you pay for this," Charlie muttered to her laughing wife.

"Yes please," replied her enthusiastic wife and Charlie just rolled her eyes to the Heaven's.

* * *

><p>"Oh thank you Joey," Charlie said as she gratefully accepted the cup of coffee.<p>

"The water isn't too hot, is it?"

Charlie splashed the water with her feet a little and shook her head. "Just nice enough to thaw me out."

"I dug some warmer clothes out for you," Joey told her.

"I'll probably end up cooking if I rug up too much."

"At least you won't be cold anymore."

"Thank god," she murmured. "Next time we chase a criminal, Hogan can be the one to tackle him into the ice container."

"Well, look at the bright side."

"There's a bright side to swimming in ice and narrowly avoiding hypothermia?"

Joey shrugged. "At least the latest fish catch hadn't made it that far or you would have been a fish finger." She then grinned at her wife. "Frozen and fishy smelling."

"Avoiding that is definitely a bright side."

"I'm just glad you're ok," Joey said. "Now enjoy your bath and I'll get a hot meal ready for you," she told her. "Then we can snuggle up and I'll help you warm up."

"Or you could jump into this tub right now and help me warm up."

Joey placed her hand on Charlie's forehead. "You're still an ice block baby and I prefer my ice queens already melted," she replied. She pressed her lips to Charlie's cheek. "Shit, my lips are stuck to the ice," she mumbled against Charlie.

"Very funny," Charlie drolly said.

"Keep thawing baby and I'll be back shortly."

* * *

><p>"Good to see that your rosy cheeks are from good health and no longer from the cold," Peter said to Charlie when she turned up for work two days later. "I take it Joey took good care of you?"<p>

"Worse, she babied me like crazy," she bemoaned. "She dressed me, fed me, I barely had to lift a finger," she said. "It was awful."

"Yes, I'm sure it was and I bet you loved every pampered minute of it," replied Peter, laughing at Charlie's grin.

"Damn right I did." Her grin widened. "It's nice being the most pampered, warm blooded being in the house for a change," Charlie said. "Though in Boxer's defence, he is rather useful to have around when you're feeling the cold," she told him. "He's like a hot water bottle when he sits on you."

"Just don't mention that around my wife and kid or I'll be swimming in fur balls by the end of the week."

"I thought it was a no to pets for VJ."

"For the time being, but I remember having a pet as a kid and it was great and I think VJ could benefit from the responsibility."

"So when is your new family member arriving?"

"For his birthday in a couple of months," he admitted with a wry smile.

"At this rate, we're going to be overrun by the four legged brigade in no time."

"God help us if they start breeding."

* * *

><p>"I take it that things went well with Jack and Romeo over the weekend," Charlie said when Fitzy bounced into the Station an hour later.<p>

"Why do you say that?"

"Because you're acting like Ruby after she's had a massive sugar hit," smirked Charlie. "All excited and happy as."

Fitzy grinned. "It was a little tense at first, but it turns out Romeo and I both barrack for the same footy team."

"Ah the ultimate way to a young boy's heart," chuckled Charlie.

"Good thing it was the same team or we might have had some issues," said Fitzy with a smile. "I'm just so relieved he liked me though," she said. "And a lot of that is down to Jack. He's been so open and honest with Romeo about everything lately, including about me and overnight stays and it's made things go so much smoother than they could have."

"Romeo is a kid who appreciates being told the truth and not being treated like a little kid," said Charlie. "That's one thing Georgie and Jack have both learnt recently, that not only did they need better communication between each other, they also needed to include Romeo more."

"Well, it's definitely working."

"Yeah, it's funny the way things work out sometimes," Charlie said. "Georgie and Jack actually appear closer to each other, now that they're no longer together."

"Jack has said the same," said Fitzy. "He's also said that he's never seen his wife as happy as she is now and that she's practically glowing these days," she said. "Thank god he's not jealous and came around to accepting Georgie's choice or this really could have been a nightmare for all of us," she added with a small shudder.

"Nightmare is a massive understatement," chuckled Charlie. "But it's all worked out in the end."

Fitzy's expression changed to one of seriousness. "I really do care for him, Charlie," she said. "I've been in love before, but this feels different." She shrugged. "Maybe it's because of the circumstances. He has a kid and he's a work colleague, two things I've never had to deal with before with someone I've dated."

"Or maybe he's just the one."

"It's all happening so quickly."

"You can slow down if it's going too quickly."

"I'm not sure I want to slow down."

"In that case, just go for it."

"I just don't want to blow this Charlie."

"Then stop stressing and just enjoy it," Charlie advised her friend to do.

"Are you now wishing you'd taken the same advice?"

"My circumstances with Joey made it virtually impossible not to stress out," Charlie said with another chuckle. "First there was my role on protection duty and making sure she was safe, then realising my feelings were more than professional and then there was the whole business of keeping our affair from everyone else, which is damn hard when you live under the same roof with some of those people," she explained. "It really felt at times, that we were in the exact opposite of a stress-free environment."

"When you put it like that, I really do have it easy with Jack," said Fitzy. "Not that relationships are ever easy or anything, but having an accepting child and also an ex that doesn't object to us, in fact, is very support of us, does make it a lot easier for us."

"Then as I said, just go for it with Jack and enjoy the ride."

Fitzy smiled broadly at Charlie. "I think I will do just that."


	111. Chapter 111

**ONE WEEK LATER…**

Joey stared at her friend from across the table. Shannon had been in a brooding mood from the moment she had arrived at the farmhouse. The same mood as yesterday and the day before and pretty much every day since they'd last spoken of it. Time to put an end to it.

"Ok Shannon, I know you said you needed to figure a few things out first, but this is getting ridiculous," she said.

"Don't you have work to go to?"

"Not till this afternoon," said Joey. "Nice attempt at deflection though. Shannon, something is clearly bothering you, so tell me and maybe I can help."

Shannon sighed heavily. This was the last conversation she wanted to have right at this moment, but Joey was right.

"You know the other week when I said, until that day comes when a woman came in and swept me off my feet, I was just going to enjoy myself with the odd night of passion?" she quietly said and Joey nodded her head, already guessing where this was going.

"Well, it's been more than the odd night," Shannon murmured. "And now I think I have been well and truly swept and I didn't even see it coming."

Ok, so her guess was a little off. Joey had been worried something like this would happen, only she had expected it to be the other way around, so she was somewhat surprised to find out Shannon had finally succumbed. In the time she'd known her, Shannon had kept a pretty close check on her sex life and her heart, but if Joey knew anything from personal experience though, it was that the heart had a mind of it's own.

"Shauna?" she said.

Shannon nodded. "The only nights Shauna hadn't spent with me, has been on the nights when she's had to work," she admitted to Joey. "I shouldn't have let things get this far," she said. "Yet after that first night, I was like putty in her hands." Shannon stared down at her own hands. "I don't want this Joey," she murmured. "Not with a woman who wants nothing to do with my kids."

"Have you even spoken to her about her attitude to kids?"

"No."

"Do you plan to?"

"No."

"Shannon, if you're not going to talk to her about it and you don't want this with Shauna, then I suggest ending this right now."

"I've tried Joey," replied Shannon. "But every time I open my mouth to tell her we need to stop, the words never come out," she said. "I even tell myself I'd be doing Shauna a favour by ending it before she falls for me, like she did with Bianca."

"Only you're the one who did the falling." Joey's heart went out to her friend. For so long, Shannon had remained aloof to having any relationship beyond sex and now she found herself in the worst possible situation. Falling for a woman who wanted nothing to do with her kids.

"Shauna should have been the perfect fuck buddy," murmured Shannon. "Her lack of interest in kids should have meant there was no danger of feelings developing, at least not on my part," she said. Joey wasn't sure of the logic with that reasoning, but her friend didn't need for her to tell her that.

"Shannon, that spark you once told me you never felt between us, is that spark there with Shauna?"

After hesitating for a few seconds, Shannon nodded. "It's almost blinding," she whispered.

"And when you say you've been swept off your feet, does that mean you're in love with Shauna?" Joey gently pushed her.

"No," she hastily replied. Then she sighed and nodded her head. "All that time we've spent together and I didn't even realise that my heart was betraying me," Shannon murmured unhappily. "And betraying Mandy."

"Are you?" queried Joey. "I mean, would Mandy want you to be alone for the rest of your life?"

"Of course not."

"Then falling in love once more, isn't a betrayal of your love for her," Joey told her. "But using her memory as an excuse to remain alone, is." That last comment might be a bit harsh on Joey's part, but it's time Shannon faced up to things. "Shannon, you're not betraying Mandy by falling in love with Shauna."

"Maybe not, but Shauna is the wrong person for me," she said. "Don't get me wrong, she's a wonderful woman and all, but she has her own issues that she's dealing with, not to mention that she is younger by a few years and emotionally immature."

"You were 18 when you met Mandy and she was in her mid-20s," Joey softly pointed out. "Were you emotionally mature when you first slept together?"

"God no, but none of this changes one very important fact and that is, my kids are the most important part of my life and Shauna has no interest in getting to know them and for me, that's a deal breaker," she said.

"At least talk to Shauna about this."

Shannon was shaking her head in furious denial. "Shauna has made it clear her stance on my kids and that this was just friends with benefits between us," she said. "Joey, my kids will always come first and you know I can't be with a woman who doesn't even want to spend time with them."

"Charlie wasn't exactly a fan of kids either," Joey said. "Yet look at her and Ruby now."

"If I thought for a second that there was a chance that Shauna would change her view on kids, don't you think I'd go for it?" she said. "Besides, she doesn't even plan on sticking around once her tenure here is done."

"How do you know there isn't a chance, if you haven't even spoken to her about it?" Joey said to her. "Do you even talk with her at all?"

"Of course we do," replied Shannon. "Part of why I enjoy her company so much, is that it's not just about sex," she said. "We do talk, about a lot of things, just not about the important things, like why she wants nothing to do with my kids," she added somewhat sheepishly.

"Shannon, you can't go on like this, so I'll say it again," said Joey. "If you can't talk to Shauna and tell her how you're feeling, then end this now, even if it means ending your friendship."

"How could I do that to her," she said. "She's already been hurt after the whole Bianca fiasco, how could I then go and dump her as a friend just because of someone's feelings getting in the way again"

"Shannon, do you realise that you are making excuses as to why you shouldn't be with her, while at the same time, you're also making excuses on why not to end things with her," Joey gently pointed out to her. "One thing is clear though, and that is how this is tearing you up and it's not going to go away by staying silent." Her eyes filled with compassion, Joey held her friend's gaze. "Shannon, you have to talk to her about this, about all of it," she told her. "You owe it to yourself, and you owe it to Shauna."

"I know," she murmured. "I just don't know if I'm strong enough." Shannon's shoulders started to shake and she held her face in her hands as the tears came. Joey rushed to her side and put her arms around her. "Falling in love shouldn't be this hard Joey," she sobbed while Joey just held her.


	112. Chapter 112

"I think the grass in mum's back yard is growing faster than the cars are going along here," Shauna murmured and Charlie laughed. Speed camera patrol certainly wasn't glamorous work and there really was little they could do to pass the time, besides watch the road and talk, not that Shauna had been all that talkative today.

Charlie glanced over at her companion. "We could play I-spy," she suggested with a grin.

"There's nothing out here but bushes, trees and even more bushes," Shauna replied.

"Well, we could always talk about whatever is bothering you," Charlie said.

"Very subtle lead in, Charlie," said Shauna. "Especially with the I-spy."

"Shauna, we're going to be stuck here for another three hours, so we might as well talk," she said. "And if you're worried about anything getting out, I promise, anything you say won't leave this car."

"Not even to your wife?"

Charlie generally told Joey everything unless it was work related, but Joey would understand. Sometimes to be a friend, you needed to be able to maintain a confidence, even from others. "If that's what you want, I won't tell Joey, I promise."

"No, that's not really necessary," she murmured. "Especially since it's about her friend." Shauna took a long breath and stared out the side window. "I've gone and done it again, Charlie," she said. "I met a woman I loved to spend time with as a friend and then I go and ruin it all by developing feelings for her."

Charlie winced internally. After the fallout with the whole Bianca fiasco, not to mention the Georgie and Jack fiasco, Charlie had been hoping to avoid being piggy in the middle again, yet here she was once more. She had to hand it to Shauna though, she sure knew how to pick 'em.

"I didn't mean for any of this to happen," Shauna said, breaking into Charlie's thoughts. "It was just meant to be some fun in the sack," she said. "We enjoyed each other's company, both in and out of bed and I was happy with that."

"But your heart had other ideas," Charlie gently said.

"Bloody thing has to be defective," she muttered. "It always leads me to the unobtainable."

"Why is Shannon unobtainable?" asked Charlie. "I'm assuming it is her you're talking about."

"It is," she said. "And she's unobtainable, because she only sees me as a friend."

"Are you sure?" said Charlie.

Shauna nodded. "We've both agreed to it as being friends with benefits sex and nothing more."

"Your feelings have changed, so who is to say that Shannon's haven't also changed?" Charlie said. "You should talk to her and see where you stand with her."

"No way, I couldn't handle the rejection again," Shauna said. "It's just sex to her and if I learnt anything with Bianca, it was that being honest with my feelings doesn't achieve anything."

"These feelings you have for Shannon, just how strong are they?" she asked.

"The strongest I've ever had for any woman," Shauna admitted. She turned to Charlie. "I love her Charlie."

"Then tell her that."

She shook her head furiously. "No, I can hold out for a few more weeks," she said. "Then Georgie will be back to work and my time here will be over."

"And will your feelings for Shannon also end when you leave town?"

"No, but the distance will help."

"Not if your feelings are as strong as you say they are," Charlie gently pointed out.

"They are," she said.

"Then running away won't solve anything."

"Neither will staying."

"What if she does feel the same for you?"

"It doesn't matter."

"Of course it does."

Shauna shook her head again. "Whether she feels the same or not, it doesn't matter," she said. "There's still the same two problems."

"The children," Charlie surmised.

"I'd be a lousy mother Charlie and an even lousier step-mum."

"You think I didn't believe the same at one time?" Charlie said. "I had no experience with children, yet now I wouldn't change any of it."

"This is different," she said in a voice barely above a whisper. "My parents, my adoptive parents that is, died when I was young and I ended up in foster care," she said. "And let's just say that I didn't get a positive education on parenting."

"You can learn."

"Charlie, I don't want to hurt those kids," Shauna whispered.

"Why would you," Charlie started to say, then stopped when she realised what her friend was implying. "Oh Shauna, I'm so sorry," she said.

"I never told anyone, not even mum when she came and took me out of the system," she said.

"Why ever not?"

"She already feels so guilty that I was taken from her in the first place," Shauna explained. "It wasn't her fault, she did the best she could, but she had no one to help her." She shrugged. "I just can't put the rest on her."

"Shauna, she's your mother and she should know what happened to you," she said. "And you need to tell her, for your own good. You can't keep this huge secret to yourself."

"I haven't," she said. "Not now that I've told you." Shauna stared out the window once more. "They weren't all bad, but when you go from one home to another and the same happens, then you do start to wonder if you're the problem."

"You weren't Shauna."

"It's easier to see that now as an adult looking back, but it doesn't mean it hasn't already screwed me up."

"Do you honestly believe you are capable of hurting a child?"

"You see it all the time as a cop," she said. "Kids carrying on the cycle of abuse from their parents."

"Not all the time and those bastards weren't your parents," Charlie pointed out. "Shauna, I know you and there is no way you'd ever be capable of hurting anyone, let alone a child."

"I'd rather not find out the hard way." She sighed heavily. "Charlie, there is no future together for me and Shannon."

"You can't sacrifice a chance at happiness without even trying."

"I'm not sacrificing anything," said Shauna. "The only thing Shannon has said about us, is that it's just sex, nothing more," she said. "There's no point saying anything," she murmured. "Besides, Shannon's better off with someone who can give her what I can't."

"How do you know if you won't even try?"

"Experience tells me that I'm not the sort of woman other women want to settle down with," she said. "I'm either their friend or fuck buddy, but definitely not potential marriage material."

"If you believe that, then you'll never be truly happy Shauna."

"Some people just aren't meant to be happy."

"That's bullshit," said Charlie. "You deserve to be every bit as happy as everyone else and if you choose to run away without saying anything of your feelings to Shannon, then you could very well end up regretting this for the rest of your life."

Shauna closed her eyes as she rested her head against the window as she reached a decision. "I know what I need to do now," she murmured. "And that is to end it with Shannon as soon as possible and put some distance between us until I leave the Bay."

Charlie sighed. She could keep at Shauna, but she doubted she'd make a difference. Shauna had made up her mind and there would be no changing it.


	113. Chapter 113

"Bloody hell, you're kidding me right?" Joey said when her wife came home with her own bit of gossip.

"It's 100% true," replied Charlie. "Shauna freely admitted to being in love with Shannon and that her feelings are stronger than she's ever felt for any other woman, yet at the same time she admits to that, she's managed to convince herself that Shannon doesn't feel the same and sees her only as a friend."

"Except that she damn well does feel the same."

Now it was Charlie's turn to be surprised.

"I confronted Shannon over her mood earlier and she finally admitted to what was bothering her," Joey explained to her. "She's fallen for Shauna and pretty damn hard."

"Oh," was all Charlie could think of to say at first, before she added another one with extra emphasis.

"Oh what?" Joey asked.

"It's just that Shauna wants to end things with Shannon," she said. "As soon as possible."

"Whatever for!" squeaked Joey.

"As far as Shauna is concerned, Shannon is unobtainable and so she thinks it's best to end things now and then put some distance between them before she leaves the Bay."

"Before she runs away from love, you mean."

"I said pretty much the same to her," said Charlie. "But Shauna seems pretty adamant that she has to break up with Shannon at the first chance she gets."

"Oh god and here I was thinking the whole Georgie and Bianca thing was a mess," muttered Joey. "Maybe I should give Shannon the heads up and she can tell Shauna how she feels about her before Shauna can run away."

"Why don't we wait and give them a chance to speak to each other first," said Charlie.

"Ah, because they're both clearly too stubborn and afraid to tell each other the truth about their feelings," Joey said. "You should have heard the way Shannon was speaking about it earlier," she said. "It was all about the reasons why she and Shauna shouldn't be together."

"I'm guessing Mandy featured in there somewhere."

"Good guess," said Joey. "I always knew it was hard for Shannon to move on, I just never realised how hard," she said. "She feels like finding love again is a betrayal of the love she had with Mandy and even though I tried to reassure her that loving Shauna wasn't a betrayal, Shannon has held her heart at a distance for so long, it's hard to shake her out of thinking like that."

"I could never imagine losing you, so I can only guess at how hard it really has been for Shannon to move on."

Joey nodded in agreement. "And it's not just that," Joey said. "Shannon's kids will always be her first priority and Shauna has made it clear she's not interested in kids, which kind of makes for a difficult situation," she said. "If only Shauna could give Lachie and Sammy a chance, then she'd see what great kids they are and maybe she'd have a change of heart."

"Unfortunately, it's not that simple," Charlie said. "Out of respect for Shauna's privacy, I can't go into details, but I will say this," she said. "Now that I know the reasons behind why Shauna is so set against children, I can understand where she's coming from and why."

Joey was desperate to ask her wife for more, but she respected Charlie's position in regards to Shauna's privacy. She hated it, because her curiosity would be gnawing constantly away at her, but she wouldn't beg. Much. Ok, she wouldn't beg at all. If Charlie was going to tell her, she'd tell her and she wasn't.

Joey frowned when her wife started to chuckle. "What's so funny?" she asked.

"Your expression and what I imagine is going on in that pretty little head of yours."

"If you must know, I was debating whether I should beg you to break Shauna's trust or torture it out of you."

"I choose torture," said Charlie. "That way we'll both still end up with smiles on our faces when you fail to get any info out of me with your talented mouth and hands." Charlie grinned at her. "Please feel free to try though."

"Denying your challenge may serve as a more apt torture."

"That expression tells a different story."

"What expression is this now?"

"The one where your mind is playing over all the pleasurable tortures you wish to partake with my body, and now that you've thought of them, you won't be able to deny yourself the pleasure."

Joey's only response to Charlie's reasoning, was to poke her tongue out at her.

"Ooh, foreplay, I like," teased Charlie.

"You'll keep," Joey promised her. "Now back to the problem at hand. Our two friends who are in love with each other, but don't want to talk to each other about it."

"As I said a moment ago, let's give them a bit of space to speak to each other first, before you interfere," Charlie suggested.

"Interfere?"

"Stick your nose in."

"Pardon?"

"Bashing their heads together while you blab everything to them," Charlie said with a grin.

"Would that be so bad?" Joey murmured, before she let out a frustrated sigh. "How did it come to this?" she said. "By all accounts, Shannon and Shauna have basically spent every night together unless Shauna had to work, so they clearly enjoy each other's company and bodies," said Joey. "And now that we know they both love each other."

"And now that we know, it's up to them to figure it out for themselves," interjected Charlie. "There are just some things that need to play out on their own."

"But how will they figure it out when neither wants to talk to the other about what is right there in front of them."

"Maybe talking to us was their first step," said Charlie. "Both have been holding this in and clearly wanted to get it out there, otherwise they would have just fobbed our questions or concerns off like they have in the past."

"You might be right."

"Aren't I always?"

"You'll keep," Joey threatened again and this time it was Charlie's tongue that came out. "Where's the cat when you need him," Joey murmured. "On second thoughts, I know how much that tongue enjoys pussy."

"But not furr balls," Charlie reminded her. "Joey, I know you're worried and want the best for Shannon, but lets just take a step back for the moment and let them deal with this," she said. "And remember, when all looked lost for Georgie and Bianca, it worked out in the end."

"Yeah it did," said Joey. "Shannon was right though. Falling in love shouldn't be this hard."

"It's worth it in the end though," Charlie said. "If you can find the strength to take that chance."

"God I hope Shannon does," said Joey. "Before Shauna gets her chance to run away."

* * *

><p>"Dinner is ready," Joey called out. When the expected rush didn't occur, she poked her head around the corner. She smiled at what she saw. Her wife was sitting in the corner of the couch asleep, their daughter curled up asleep beside her and the family picture wouldn't be complete without the fur ball sleeping on Charlie's lap. The snoozing trio looked so cute together.<p>

Joey walked over to them and bent closer to Charlie's ear. "Rise and shine," she said.

"Mmhh," Charlie murmured, her eyes barely flickering.

Joey grinned wickedly as she thought of the perfect way to wake up the trio. She rushed back to the kitchen, grabbed Boxer's tin of cat food and tapped loudly on the side. "Din dins," she yelled. Moments later, her wife was yelping and Boxer was running full pelt toward her. Joey poked her head around the corner again and saw her wife rubbing her thighs. "Did you dig your claws into mummy Charlie in your excitement for dinner," she said to the kitten who was weaving in and out of her feet. "I'll have to kiss her better later," she said with a delighted grin.

* * *

><p>"Have you talked to Shauna yet?" Joey asked her friend over the speaker phone the next morning and Charlie rolled her eyes. Talk about tactful.<p>

"I didn't get a chance," replied Shannon. "Shauna came by last night and told me we needed to end things and before I had recovered my wits enough to say anything, she was gone."

Charlie glanced at Joey. Her wife was almost in apoplexy and about to tear her hair out in frustration. She could certainly understand that feeling. This was exactly why she didn't like getting involved in their friends' love lives, especially when they were stuck in the middle and knew the story from both sides, while their friends remained oblivious.

"Thank god she spoke first, because she saved me from embarrassing myself any further," Shannon said. "I was this close to telling her that I loved her, but in the end, I think Shauna made the right choice for the both of us," she was saying while Charlie wondered if she could get Joey off the phone before she exploded. "It really was silly to keep going as we were when the feelings were so one sided, so Shauna definitely did me a favour by doing what I couldn't and ending things."


	114. Chapter 114

"Now Fitzy is certain that Shauna will be at the baby shower today?" Joey asked her wife for the third time in the last hour as they prepared the food they were going to be taking to the shower.

"She'll be there even if Fitzy has to drag her there," Charlie assured her.

"You realise that this will be the first time in five days that Shauna and Shannon will be in the same room together, since Shauna ended it all?"

"Yep," said Charlie. "Which means this could either be a great day or an absolute nightmare."

"As much as I want them to actually sit down and talk to each other, I just hope this doesn't end up ruining Georgie's day."

"Joey, as long as Bianca is by her side, I don't think there is anything that could ruin it for Georgie these days."

"Too true," chuckled Joey. "Wanna bet that Bianca's hand will still be glued to Georgie's stomach when we get there."

"No way am I taking that sure bet," Charlie told her. She thought it adorable the way Bianca constantly held Georgie's belly. She'd even caught her friend talking directly to the baby a few times. Georgie seemed to find it adorable as well, if her smiles at Bianca's displays of affection were anything to go by. Charlie really was happy for their friends and the life they were now building together. They deserved all the happiness they could find.

"I'm still not sure how Fitzy managed to convince Shauna to go to a baby shower," Joey said as she chopped up the kabana.

"She played the cops always support each other card," replied Charlie. She grinned wryly as she added. "I think Fitzy may have embellished it just a tad to shame Shauna into going to Georgie's baby shower, but at least it worked."

"Does she know everything that is going on with them?" asked Joey.

"Not the finer details of their feelings for each other, but Fitzy, along with just about everyone else, knows that Shauna is no longer seeing Shannon," she replied. "And as much as Shauna has been putting on a brave face, even smiling at work, it's still obvious to most that she's been hurting these past few days."

"How is it that so many others can see the obvious, yet those two numbskulls at the centre of it remain oblivious?"

"Perhaps if they hadn't gone out of their way to avoiding each other lately, they might actually have twigged about their feelings for each other."

"Or we could have just told them what they told us."

"Joey, if they love each other and are meant to be together, then they'll figure this out on their own," Charlie said to her.

"I'm not so sure that they will," muttered Joey. "Charlie, this is the first time Shannon has really opened up her heart since she lost Mandy," she said. "I just don't want her to lose this opportunity."

"Who says she will?"

"Shauna if she gets her way and leaves before they can be honest with each other," Joey said. "And if today ends up a bust, then we'll need to find a way to keep Shauna in town so they can have the necessary time to figure this out."

"I could work more on convincing Shauna to stay, but I have a feeling I'd be wasting my breath," Charlie replied. "If Shauna is to stay in the Bay, it won't be because of anything I've had to say," she said. "I honestly believe that there is only one person who can convince Shauna to remain in the Bay and if Shannon can't be that person, then as soon as her tenure is up here, Shauna will be gone."

"And with it, Shannon's chance of happiness."

"If worse comes to worse, at least this will have shown Shannon that she's capable of loving another woman again and is finally ready to move on."

"By losing the first woman she's loved since she lost her wife?"

"It hasn't come to that yet."

"No, not yet," muttered Joey. As each day dragged by, she had less and less faith that Shauna and Shannon would get the same happy ending they and Georgie and Bianca have. "This is just so damn annoying," she said. "All they have to do is talk to each other."

"Like we used to?" Charlie gently pointed out. "We nearly lost everything because our communication skills with each other had sucked big time," she said. "It was only when it was all on the line that we finally figured out how important talking actually was to a relationship."

"Yeah, we really did suck at the communication thing, didn't we?" Joey murmured. She never wanted to ever be in that position again.

"At least it woke us up and made us realise how much we loved each other and were meant to be together," Charlie said. "Not to mention realising that relationships require an effort from both sides to work."

"And in our two numbskulls, it appears to be too much of an effort to even attempt."

"Both have now admitted to their feelings, even if not to each other and now that they've had time apart, it might just be the kick in the arse they needed."

"God I hope so."

* * *

><p>"Good morning baby," Bianca softly murmured and pressed her lips to the bare skin.<p>

"I'm up here," Georgie bemusedly said.

Bianca grinned from where she was hovering over her girlfriend's belly.

"Care to join me up here?" said Georgie.

"I don't know about that," said Bianca. "The view is pretty great from down here," she said. "There is this lovely hill here," her hands gently rubbing Georgie's belly. "And these two mountain peaks look wonderful from this angle," she teased as her hands next moved over her girlfriend's breasts. At the barest of touches, the nipples hardened instantly. She smirked at the gasp each of her soft caresses elicited.

"Bianca, we have guests arriving soon," she murmured as the pleasant feelings in her breasts moved downward.

"Then we'd best be quick," Bianca told her, while taking it ever so slowly. Even with Georgie's growing belly, there was now little to restrict their lovemaking these days and Bianca took every opportunity to continue her girlfriend's lessons in the joys of sex. And boy, did they both enjoy those lessons.

"If this is quick, I'd hate to think of what slow is," Georgie panted as her desire for her girlfriend spiralled upwards.

"It would be something like this," Bianca told her and set about demonstrating it in finite detail.

* * *

><p>"Leah called to say she will be running late as she has to cover for Irene for a couple of hours at the Diner," Bianca explained to Joey and Charlie as she poured their glasses of wine. "Everyone else should be arriving shortly."<p>

"Thanks Bianca," Joey said as she accepted the drink from her friend. "Hand at belly o'clock," she whispered to her wife once Bianca had rejoined Georgie on the couch.

"That's why I didn't take the bet," Charlie grinned back.

"Are you talking about us?" Georgie said.

"Yes," the duo replied together. "We're just commenting on your public displays of affection," said Joey.

"Well, you two would be the experts on PDA's," said Bianca.

"That's because we've had a lot of practice," Joey cheekily replied.

"So have we," grinned Bianca. "And you know what the best part is?" she said. "All the practicing is so much fun."

"Bianca!" squawked Georgie when Bianca PDA'd her again and the other two women chuckled. Both remembered well how hard it was to keep their hands off each other. Even now.

* * *

><p>"I'm fine Joey," Shannon told her friend when she came to stand at her side.<p>

"Is that why you're standing all alone, staring out the window and so totally lost in thought?"

"I guess I'm not in the partying mood." She sighed heavily. "When Shauna said we needed to end it, I didn't realise she meant our friendship with it," she said. "It's like she is trying to avoid me completely."

"She probably just wants to give you some space after being around every night," Joey said, while her heart was breaking for her friend.

"She won't even return my calls, Joey," she murmured sadly.

"You could have gone to see her in person."

"She's the one who ended this, not me."

"You're the one in love with her."

"I wish I wasn't," she murmured.

This couldn't go on like this for much longer, Joey decided.

Shannon shook her head sadly. "It's my own fault for continually ignoring the warning signs in my head," she said. "Oh god Joey, why does it have to hurt so much."

* * *

><p>"Shauna, you're not going to wimp out on me now," Fitzy gently scolded her friend and held onto her arm just in case she made a break for it. "You accepted Georgie's invitation and it would be rude to renege on it at the last second," she said. "Besides, you know how weird this is for me to be going to a baby shower for my boyfriend's baby that he's having with his wife, so you are not letting me walk in there alone."<p>

"Since when have you been weirded out by the situation?" Shauna said.

"Since it's become so serious between me and Jack and the realisation finally hit, that if we're still together when this baby is born, then I will also be a part of its life."

"You like kids though, right?'

"I love them, but I usually have to hand them back to the parents afterward," Fitzy said. "This situation I now find myself in, involves serious commitment on my part," she said. "Don't get me wrong, I really do want this with Jack more than anything, it's just the added responsibilities are something I'm only just learning to get accustomed to where Romeo is concerned and soon, there will be a little baby in the picture." She looked to her friend. "It's a big fucking deal."

"Better you than me," said Shauna.

"If you actually gave yourself a chance, you might find you like it," Fitzy said more to herself than to her stubborn friend. Her friend had said little of what had happened between her and Shannon, but it was easy enough for Fitzy to guess when it was written all over Shauna's face. It was the face of a heart that was hurting and in this instance, by a self-inflicted wound.

* * *

><p>"And that is the last one," Shannon said. After Joey had dragged her away from the window, she'd finally made good on her promise to autograph Georgie's book. Or in this case, the entire collection. The smile of appreciation on Georgie's face as she signed each book with a different personal message, helped to ease some of the heaviness on her heart. It didn't last long though and she had no need to turn around to see who had just walked into the room. She just knew.<p>

"Here we go," Joey murmured to her wife as all eyes suddenly fell upon Shauna. The poor woman looked skittish under the sudden surveillance.

Shauna's eyes fell to Shannon, who had remained the only woman in the room yet to look her way. It was so hard being in the same room with her again and all of Shauna's pent up emotions and feelings of loneliness from the past few days crashed down upon her. It was too much.

"I can't do this," she said and bolted out the door.

"Oh for fuck's sake, this is becoming beyond ridiculous," Joey muttered exasperatingly in Shauna's wake.


	115. Chapter 115

"Wait Charlie," Shannon told her friend when Charlie had made to go after Shauna. "I'll go," she said and raced out the door after Shauna.

"What the hell is going on?" Bianca asked, staring at the abrupt departure of Shannon.

"I'm guessing something happened between Shauna and Shannon," said Georgie. "And it goes much deeper than just being friends with benefits."

"Is that right?" Bianca said to Joey and Charlie.

"Pretty much," said Charlie.

"Only those two numbskulls refuse to admit it," muttered Joey. "Well, they have both admitted that they love each other to us, it's just that they can't seem to say the words to each other, so they've been avoiding each other instead."

"Sounds familiar," Bianca said with a wry smile to her girlfriend. "It's sometimes easier to admit you're in love to someone else, instead of saying it directly to the object of your affection," she said.

"At least at first," added Georgie.

"I just had no idea it had become so serious between them," Bianca said. "Then again, I haven't seen much of Shauna these days and I have been otherwise preoccupied." As she said the words, her hand was gently circling her girlfriend's belly.

"I kind of wish I hadn't known," said Joey. "Then I wouldn't have had to worry about them throwing it all away because of outright stubbornness on their part."

"Shannon has gone after her, so maybe now is the time for it all to come out," Charlie said.

"Or they will just continue to skirt around the real reason as they have been doing for the past week," muttered Joey.

* * *

><p>Shannon nearly had to run to catch up since Shauna was walking that fast. "Shauna, could you please stop," she called out, but Shauna either didn't hear her or was ignoring her. "Shauna please, we need to talk."<p>

"There's nothing to talk about," replied Shauna without breaking stride.

Oh so she could hear her after all.

"Shauna, please," she said and the next words were out of Shannon's mouth before she realised. "I love you."

Shauna very nearly tripped over her own feet in shock and she whirled around to face Shannon. "What did you say?"

"I love you."

"If this is some sick game, it's not very funny," Shauna said.

"It's not a game."

"Why haven't you said anything before now?" she said.

"Because I'm a coward," replied Shannon. "I couldn't find the words, so I took the easy way out and said nothing."

"Until now," murmured Shauna.

Shannon walked up to her and gently caressed her face. "I love you Shauna Bradley and I don't want you to go."

"I love you too," Shauna finally said the words to her. "But that might not be enough," she said. "I'm scared Shannon."

"About what?"

"What I might be capable of."

* * *

><p>"Ok Shannon, I'll speak to you later," Joey said and hung up her phone. "Shannon apologises to you Georgie for leaving the baby shower early, but she and Shauna are going somewhere more private to have a good long talk with each other," she told everyone else.<p>

"Oh thank god," Charlie murmured with a glance upwards.

"Sorry I'm late," Leah said as she walked in. She stopped in her tracks and looked at the faces of everyone there. "Oh damn, did I miss something good?"

* * *

><p>With Leah filled in on the earlier drama, the shower had finally moved onto what it was about. The baby.<p>

"Aww, it's adorable," Georgie said and held up the little police uniform she'd just unwrapped so the others could see. "Thank you Leah."

"I saw that and just couldn't resist."

"He or she is going to look so cute in this," Georgie gushed.

"You don't yet know what the sex is?" asked Barbara, one of the other police officers there.

"Jack was dying to know, so he had the doctor tell him in private during my last check up, but I want to be surprised," said Georgie.

"Geez, he's managed to keep that a secret then," said Barbara.

"Tell me about it. The bastard won't even tell me," muttered Bianca in faux outrage.

"What about you Fitzy, has he told you yet?" Joey asked her.

"Nope and I don't want to know," she said. "Not because I'm not interested in the baby," Fitzy hastily added. "It's more out of self preservation, because if it got out that I knew, then I'd be harassed by a certain blonde for the information."

"I'd just like to know what colour to paint the nursery," Bianca said.

"A neutral colour," said Georgie.

"How about police blue, to match the uniform," Leah suggested.

"Blue is usually for boys though," said Bianca.

"Or little police officers," reasoned Charlie.

"Blue is a great colour," added Joey.

"It's also my favourite colour," said Georgie.

"Blue it is then," Bianca gracefully conceded.

"Are you planning on doing the room up yourself?" Joey asked.

"Of course," replied Bianca. "With the help of my very bestest friends," she said with a pointed glare to the women gathered there.

"Why do I suspect we've just been drafted into a working party?" drawled Leah.

"I have no issue with having another party at all," Joey said. "As long as there is plenty of wine and food."

"You will be well compensated," Bianca assured her. "After the work is done."

"Why not before and during?"

"Because I'd hate to see what we'd end up with if we had a paint brush in one hand and a few too many of these in the other," she said, holding up a glass of wine.

"Might be a nice experiment to partake in," Joey said. "Just imagine it. A bunch of tipsy women, except for Georgie of course, preparing a nursery."

"Sounds like an absolute nightmare for the only sober woman there," Georgie said and they all had a light chuckle at that.

* * *

><p>"I'm glad to see Jack finding some happiness and that is all down to you," Georgie said to Fitzy.<p>

"He makes me happy, so I'm happy to oblige in return," she replied.

"Everyone seems to be moving on," Joey said.

"Even Martha with that new guy in town, Roman or whatever his name is," said Georgie. She glanced around the room, meeting the gaze of those still there. "I know people like to avoid using her name around me, but I don't hate her or anything," she said. "I definitely didn't appreciate her making the moves on Jack at my birthday party where Romeo could see them, but her and Jack, I can't hate her for that. We're all to blame for the mess that we had made, so it seems pointless and a little hypocritical, to carry a grudge against her."

"Even I played my own part in that mess when I revealed my feelings to you before you had ended your marriage," said Bianca.

"Who cares anymore who is to blame and for what," said Charlie. "You've all moved on and are happy and at the end of the day, that should be all that matters."

"She speaks sense," Joey said. "Amazing as that is."

"You just couldn't resist adding that last bit, could you?"

"Nope," Joey said with her Cheshire grin.

* * *

><p>Charlie brought in the coffees and sat down next to Joey on their couch. They'd only been home for about an hour when Shannon had turned up.<p>

"Thanks for this Charlie," Shannon said, taking a sip. "I feel like I've been hung drawn and quartered and in major need of a pick me up."

"Things went all right between you and Shauna though, right?" asked Joey. "I mean, you're together now." She'd been so delighted by the news she'd nearly jumped up and down in excitement, except the tiredness of her friend's demeanour had kept her feet firmly planted on the floor.

"Yeah we're now officially a couple, but our talk was still pretty full on," she said. Shannon stared into her cup as she gathered her thoughts. "Shauna told me a few things about her childhood that she had never told anyone else." Charlie didn't contradict her, since Shauna had never really gone into any of the details with her. "And it's given me a greater understanding of who she is and why she feels as she does about certain things," Shannon said. "And it's why she has doubts about herself."

From the hints she'd picked up from Charlie's reaction the other day and now from her friend, Joey had a feeling she knew what Shannon was talking about, but she didn't press. That was a private matter for Shauna that she obviously didn't want everyone else to know. She also completely understood and sympathised with Shauna. Whatever form of abuse Shauna may have gone through, Joey knew from her own experience, that it can take time to learn not only to trust others again, but to trust in yourself as well.

"It certainly sounds like you two covered a lot of ground," Charlie said.

"We did," replied Shannon. "And in doing so, it's made us both realise how much we do want to be together, but it also highlighted that we have a bumpy road ahead of us," she told them. "We both have issues that still need working through and we are willing to work through all of them to try to make this work, it just won't be easy."

"You're giving it a go and that is great," said Joey. "I was beginning to worry you'd both let this chance slip by without a fight."

"It very nearly did," admitted Shannon. "But seeing the look on Shauna's face and then her running away from me like that, it was like a kick in the guts and I couldn't stay silent any longer."

"Lucky you did take the initiative, because Joey was looking to bang your heads together," Charlie told her.

"No doubt," Shannon said with a grin. "Well, you don't need to do that now that we're together," she said. "You will have to have some patience though, because we intend to take this slowly and start from the beginning, so no more late night sexcapades, at least for the moment. We're going to do this properly."

"Properly?"

"You know, the whole dating thing," she said. "We kind of skipped over that and went straight for the sex."

"That's not always a bad thing," said Joey.

"No it's not, but the past few days have shown that we obviously need time to get to know each other better in other ways," she said. "Unfortunately for me, since I already know how great sex with Shauna is, it's going to be damn hard to abstain for the time being."

"Better you than me," chuckled Joey.

"Ha ha," said Shannon. "And for laughing at my plight, I want to ask a really big favour."

"Fire away."

"It took some persuading, but I managed to convince Shauna to come by the house tomorrow to spend some time with me and the kids," she said. Shannon looked appealingly toward her friends. "It might be easier for her to cope if there were two more adults there with us."

"In that case, Joey and I will be only too happy to join in," Charlie said.

"And Ruby is invited of course," Shannon said. "But not him," she said, pointing to the furry lump sitting behind Charlie on the back of the couch. "I don't think Bear would enjoy seeing another four legged interloper."

"Bear seems such a big name for such a tiny and cute puppy," commented Joey.

"Except puppies don't stay tiny for long."

"Neither do kittens," murmured Charlie. "The damn thing will squish me if he keeps pigging out like he does."

"He's a growing boy," Joey said in his defence.

"Growing is right," she said. "He'll be growing too big for his legs at this rate."

"Uh oh, I think he might have taken offence at that," Shannon warned, moments before Charlie felt claws and then the full weight of the kitten on her shoulder.

"Sorry Boxer," Charlie said. "You're not becoming a fat lump of fur at all." Her face screwed up as she got a whiff of his latest meal.

"I think I'll leave you to deal with that on your own," Shannon said, getting to her feet.

"We'll see you tomorrow," Charlie said to her friend while she was trying to nudge Boxer off her shoulder, without him sinking his claws in further.


	116. Chapter 116

"Are you still moping over that teacher?" Ailsa asked her daughter when she heard her sighing over her breakfast.

"Hardly," said Shauna. "There is another woman though," she said. "One who I've fallen in love with and who loves me back."

"Is that a good or bad thing?"

Shauna smiled wryly. Given her history, she didn't blame her mother for asking that.

"It's a great thing," Shauna told. "There are just a few complications."

"Like what?" she asked. "She's not married or with someone else, is she?"

"No, she's single, has been for a long time, which is part of the problem," Shauna told her. "She was married once, but her wife died and she has struggled to move on," she said.

"But she's willing to move on with you?"

Shauna nodded. "There's more though," she said. "Shannon has kids."

"Ah, that is a bit of problem," Ailsa fully aware of her daughter's aversion to kids, even if she didn't understand why. "This woman must be pretty special if you're with her then."

"She is," she said. She'd already done this in full once with Shannon, but she wasn't sure if that was meant to make this easier or not, because it didn't feel like it. It was time though. She took a deep breath. "Mum, there is something I need to tell you."

* * *

><p>Shannon's attention was divided between watching her kids play with Ruby and Charlie on the swings and keeping an eye on her watch. To make things a little easier for Shauna, Joey had suggested a picnic at the park as a neutral ground for the get together. A picnic Shauna was now running late for.<p>

"God, I hope she hasn't chickened out," Shannon muttered when she glanced at her watch for the hundredth time.

"She hasn't," Joey assured her.

"How do you know she hasn't?" she said. "This is a huge move for Shauna and I wouldn't blame her for getting cold feet."

"She doesn't have cold feet," Joey told her. "And before you carry on any more, I suggest you take a look behind you."

Shannon spun around and her face lit up at the sight of her girlfriend getting out of a taxi and walking toward them. Her girlfriend? She was still getting used to that, but each time she heard it or thought it, she felt a glow around her. She hadn't been joking when she'd told Charlie and Joey that this wasn't going to be easy, yet despite that, she was happier than she'd been in a long time.

As she drew nearer to them, Shannon could see the strain on Shauna's face and without hesitation, she rushed over to her and caught her in a bear hug.

"You seem surprised to see me," Shauna said with some bemusement.

"I was getting a little worried," she admitted.

"Yeah, sorry I'm a little late, but I needed to talk to mum," Shauna told her. She smiled at Shannon. "I told her about us and now she wants to meet you."

"I've already met her," Shannon said.

"You met her as a customer at her store, but now you're my girlfriend and she wants to meet you properly and get to know you," Shauna replied. "You and the kids."

"Now I'm the one who is nervous," she said with a wry smile. "Meeting the girlfriend's family is usually a big deal."

"Tell me about it," Shauna murmured, her eyes drawn to the laughter at the swings.

"You'll be fine," Shannon assured her. She slipped her arm around Shauna's waist and could feel the tension still there. "Just try to relax."

"It's not just this that has me wound tight," Shauna said. "I told mum," she said. "About all of it."

Shannon didn't need to ask what she meant, she just knew by her girlfriend's demeanour. "If this is too much for you to deal with today, we can put this off till tomorrow."

"No, I'm here now, so we might as well get this over with."

"Shauna, you do know that you're not about to walk into a burning pit of fire," Shannon jokingly said. "It's just my kids."

"My kryptonite," murmured Shauna, but she took Shannon's hand and allowed her to drag her over to where the kids were playing.

"Sammy, Lachie, do you remember Shauna from the farmhouse on moving day?" Shannon asked her kids. They nodded while they stared at Shauna, as if sizing her up.

"Shauna looks ready to bolt again," Charlie murmured when she moved to Joey's side.

"No chance," Joey murmured back. "Just look at the death grip Shannon has on her hand."

"I think it is Shauna that is holding onto Shannon's hand for dear life," Charlie said.

"I think you might be right," said Joey.

"Are you mummy's girlfriend now?" Sammy asked Shauna.

"Direct and straight to the point," whispered Charlie.

"Just like her mum," Joey whispered back.

"Yes, Shauna is my girlfriend now," Shannon replied to her daughter and tried not to grimace at the pain in her hand. It was like holding Mandy's hand when she'd been in labour, such was Shauna's grip.

"Can we go back to playing now?" Lachie asked. "Charlie said she had a surprise for us."

"Yes, you can go and play again," Shannon said. She smiled at the sigh of relief she heard from Shauna when the kids raced away. "You survived," she chuckled to Shauna.

"Only because they found something more interesting."

"Yeah, what is this surprise Lachie spoke of?" Joey asked of her wife.

Grinning, Charlie went over to the bag she'd left with the blanket and baskets of food. With her back to them, she reached into the bag. "The surprise would be this," she said, turning and firing in the one motion.

"Charlie!" Joey squealed as she tried to duck away from the water.

"Come on kids, there's one for each of you," Charlie said as she chased after her wife, with three little screaming warriors quickly joining in the pursuit.

"Is this what usually happens?" Shauna murmured to Shannon, who nodded in reply.

"I remember their first water fight, only that time it was Charlie who was on the receiving end of Joey trickery."

"So this is payback then?"

"Oh, there have been many paybacks since then," Shannon said with a grin. "And there will always be calls for payback when it comes to the kiddies."

"You're not talking about your kids right now, are you?"

Shannon shook her head. "I'm talking about the big kids whose inner children burst out whenever there are water pistols involved."

"Charlie's a bit different outside of work," Shauna commented as Charlie ended up on the ground with a pile of Joey and kids on top of her. In seconds, Joey had gained control of Charlie's weapon.

"She's actually a lot different to how she used to be, that's for sure," Shannon said.

"Love does weird things, doesn't it?"

"It certainly does," Shannon murmured, moving in for a kiss, which was interrupted by a spray of water. "Damn you Joey," she muttered.

"Wasn't me," Joey called out.

"Lachie," Shannon said, his giggling having given him away. "Ok, this means war," she said. "Shauna, are you going to fight for my honour and enter the battle for me?" she asked.

"I can't, Shannon."

Shannon stepped in front of her and took both her hands in hers. "Shauna, have you ever deliberately hurt another person in your life?" Shannon asked her.

"No, not even a scumbag suspect who would have deserved it."

"Then why do you believe you're a danger to my kids?" she reasoned. "They're just people," she said. "Who just happen to be on the smaller side than what you're used to dealing with." Shannon handed her the last remaining weapon from the bag. "Now go and shoot them."

"Are you ordering me to shoot your kids?"

"Either that or sit back and get drenched when they decided you're just as easy a target as I am."

"They wouldn't, would they?"

"They're my kids, what do you think?" Shannon said with a smirk.

"That they're as troublesome and cheeky as you."

"Exactly," she said. "Shauna, kids are hardy little things and I believe in you, so for today, trust me in trusting you." Shannon smiled at her. "Can you do that for me?"

"I'd do anything for you," she said before she had time to think about it.

"Good," she said. "I love you Shauna, now go out there and shoot my kids."

"If you insist."

* * *

><p>"Shauna looks like she's having a wonderful time getting my wife all wet," Joey joked to her friend after she had retreated to the sidelines once her surrender had been accepted by the others.<p>

"This may be the only time Shauna gets to turn the tables on her senior officer with a weapon," Shannon replied with a chuckle. "It's so great to see her relaxing and having fun."

"I think she may have forgotten that the kids are actually kids."

"Maybe," said Shannon. "I'm just so pleased with how this day is going." Shannon wasn't foolish enough to believe that Shauna's doubts would be miraculously cured in just one afternoon, but it was a beginning and the more time Shauna spent with her kids, the more she could learn to trust herself and relax around them. She just needed to be patient.

"And here you were worried she wouldn't show."

"Yeah, but I think that was just as much my nerves as hers," she said. "This was a big deal for the both of us and being with Shauna today, I feel like I am finally ready to move on from Mandy, but at the same time, saying and doing are two different things."

"You've admitted your feelings for each other and are willing to make the effort, that's a start," said Joey. "And from here on, you both have an idea of what to expect from yourself and of each other."

Shannon nodded in agreement. "There's still another hitch we have to deal with and that's her job," she said. "Shauna was initially posted here only as a replacement for Georgie while she was in hospital and then at home recovering from her injuries, which she's nearly done."

"Georgie won't be back full time even when she does return to work," Joey pointed out. "Then of course she'll be going on maternity leave once the baby is born."

"That's what Shauna said," she murmured. "She's going to speak to Peter about her position tomorrow to see where she stands," she said. "If her tenure is extended, then at least we'll have time to work on our relationship."

"And what will you do if she eventually has to leave further down the line?"

"That would depend on where we are as a couple at the time," Shannon replied. "If we're confident in our relationship and see our future together, then I guess we'll need to discuss where we go from there," she said.

"Would you follow her?"

"I came here to get away from the stress of life in the city for a year or so, but if Shauna is my future and her future ends up being elsewhere, then following her might be a no brainer," she replied. "Like I said though, it would depend on where we were at as a couple if it came to that." Shannon looked to her friend and smirked at what she saw. "Have I mentioned yet that you look like a drowned rat?" she told her.

"Numerous times," drawled Joey. She looked down at herself. "You know, this is the problem with toys these days," she said. "They tend to make them even bigger and even more effective, which makes it bloody near impossible to avoid a drenching once you're in the firing line."

"That's why you stay completely on the sidelines," Shannon said. "Much safer," she said. "And a hell of a lot drier."

"You still got a little wet."

"Only a little."

Joey caught movement out of the corner of her eye and she tried not to react. "You're probably a little too dry for our liking though," she said.

"So we're going to fix that," Shauna said from behind her. Before Shannon could do anything, the bucket of water was upended over her head.

"Oh god, that's cold," she spluttered and glared at her girlfriend. "Oh, you're going to pay for that."

"Everybody scramble," Shauna yelled and they all bolted in opposite directions while Joey rolled around laughing.

* * *

><p>"At least the kids are dry now," Shannon said as the three children hopped into their respective cars when it came time to head home.<p>

"You're mostly dry now too," said Joey.

"No thanks to that second bath I had."

"You shouldn't have pushed Shauna into the river first," Charlie pointed out with a grin.

"No, her mistake was sticking around to laugh and then offering to help Shauna get out," Joey said. "Doing that just handed Shauna the perfect opportunity for payback."

"Ok, that was rather dumb on my part," Shannon conceded. "I don't know what I was thinking there," she said. "I mean, I've been around you two long enough to have learnt that extending a helping hand around water only leads to trouble."

"I have never pushed or pulled you into the water, ever," Joey said.

"Your wife has though," Shannon said. "Or don't you remember my trip into the pool that day?"

"Of course she remembers," Charlie said, then added with a grin, "Who do you think told me to do it?"

"I knew it was you!" Shannon said to Joey.

"Obviously," Joey said. "Charlie was too straight laced back then to have thought of that by herself." She grinned broadly at her friend. "Took you long enough to figure it out though."

"Why you," Shannon said, but the moment a strong pair of arms circled her waist from behind, she forgot her next words and leant back.

"You ready to go home," Shauna murmured into her ear. Shannon shivered at sensation of her warm breath so close and at the hands teasing her bare waist beneath her loose fitting top.

"Ok," she said. She wished right then that her offer to drop Shauna off home, had been to the farmhouse and not to her place, because she wanted her right then, but silly her had to agree to go slow, which was just another word for torture.

"Bye ladies," Joey said. "Don't do anything we would do," she teasingly added when she recognised that expression on Shannon's face.

"Oh shut up," muttered an increasingly frustrated Shannon. Bloody hell, how the hell was she meant to survive going slow, especially when her girlfriend was becoming so frequent with her PDAs? "Do you have any idea what you're doing to me?" she hissed at Shauna.

"Yes," Shauna whispered back and kissed the side of her neck, just below Shannon's ear.

"You're picking up bad habits from my friends," she muttered.

"Bad habits?" Shauna said with a soft laugh as her body swayed behind her.

Shannon gasped. She could feel her girlfriend's nipples moving against her back. "Oh god, you're killing me."

Shauna just laughed again, though she did step away from her. She took Shannon's hand.

"Come on, I'll buy you an ice cream to help cool you down," Shauna said. "I'll see you at work tomorrow Charlie."

"Will do."

"I'm so glad they got their act together," Joey said to the backs of their retreating friends. "They're so good for each other."

"Yeah, they are," Charlie said. She then wriggled her brows suggestively at Joey. "So, do you want to go home and do what they won't be doing any time soon?"

"Oh yeah," Joey enthusiastically replied. "In fact, we can make up for what they're missing out on."


	117. Chapter 117

When Joey walked into the store before work the next morning, the last thing she expected to find was the storeowner sobbing behind the counter. She rushed over to her side. "Ailsa, whatever is the matter?"

Ailsa hurriedly dabbed at her tears with a hanky. "Sorry, my emotions must have gotten the better of me."

"Can I help?"

"It's nothing."

"You're crying over nothing?"

"I heard some upsetting news from my daughter yesterday," she finally admitted. "And now I find myself bursting into tears at the drop of a hat."

"Would you like to talk about it?"

Ailsa shook her head. "I can't go into details without betraying her trust."

"What about just how you're feeling?"

"I'm feeling like a failure if I'm being truthful."

"I find that hard to believe."

"Joey, I had my child taken off me because I was an unfit mother," Ailsa said. "If that's not failure enough, then the childhood Shauna had in foster care because of me." She trailed off before she revealed too much more. "If I'd been a capable mother, none of this would have happened."

"And if Shauna's adoptive parents hadn't died, things could have gone completely different again," Joey gently pointed out. "I'm sure there are other 'what if's' we can talk about, but there's little point. What's happened has happened, it can't be undone," she said. "But at the end of the day, you and your daughter found your way back to each other and you've been there for each other ever since."

"I'll forever be grateful that I was given the chance to be Shauna's mum again, but I just can't stop blaming myself for what happened," Ailsa said. "I can't help it."

"Does Shauna blame you?"

"She says she doesn't."

"Then believe in her," Joey said. "And for what it's worth, whenever I've heard Shauna talk about you, it's pretty obvious how much she loves you."

"Sometimes I wonder why she forgave me so easily."

"You're her mum."

"And Alf is her father, yet she's still resentful toward him." She sighed heavily. "I guess it all starts to make sense now," she said. "Her resentment to her father, her aversion to kids and the way she would always avoid talking too much about her childhood after her adoptive parents died." Ailsa sighed again. "I just wish she'd talked to me from the beginning."

"She probably wasn't ready then," Joey said. "Look, I may not know all the details, but I do have some idea of what you're talking about and from my own experience, all I can say is, that once you start to open up, it's a good thing, because it can really help you to move on."

"Move on with this Shannon woman," Ailsa murmured. "I suddenly feel terrible that I'm jealous of her," she said.

"Jealous of Shannon?"

"Jealous that Shauna could open up to her before she could to me." She shook her head. "It's silly, I know. I should just be happy that Shauna finally found someone who could give her the courage to speak up."

"I think in part, it was more fear of losing Shannon that tipped Shauna's hand and if not for Shannon, I'm sure Shauna still would have opened up to you eventually," said Joey.

"I am glad she did," Ailsa said. "No one should have to carry that around on their own."

"Well now Shauna has the two people she loves by her side, not to mention her friends."

"She really does love this Shannon, doesn't she?"

Joey nodded. "The feeling is mutual."

Ailsa looked to Joey. "I don't know much about this woman, except how she likes her coffee when she comes in here," she said. "She's a good friend of yours, isn't she?"

Joey nodded. "I've known Shannon for 5 years and she's a wonderful woman."

"She must be pretty special if Shauna is willing to be around kids to be with her."

"She is and her kids are great too," Joey told her. "Sammy and Lachie are adorable and very easy to get along with, once you give them a chance," she said. "And they're both surprisingly well behaved given who their mother is," she added a little cheekily.

"What do they think of Shauna?"

"They think any adult who plays with water pistols is pretty damn cool," Joey said.

"And how do they feel about her dating their mother?"

"Shauna is the first woman Shannon has been serious about since their mother died, but her kids do know that their mum sees other women, so Shauna wasn't exactly a surprise to them," Joey replied. "I do think there will be a period of adjustment for all of them though."

"I really do hope it works out for Shauna, because I have never seen her so enthusiastic about a relationship before, not even with Bianca."

"She's in love, they both are."

"I guess I'll see that for myself shortly," she said. "I've asked Shauna to invite Shannon to dinner one night this week."

"So Shannon has mentioned," Joey said with a grin. "She's actually quite terrified of meeting you outside of this store."

"Why ever for?"

"She wants to make a good impression on the mother of the woman she loves and she's nervous about it."

"Loving my daughter and making her happy, already goes a long way to achieving that."

"Best not to let Shannon know that it's that easy just yet," Joey helpfully suggested.

Ailsa stared at Joey with amused suspicion. "Are you suggesting I mess with her by pretending to be hard to impress?"

"Not at all," Joey replied with such an expression of innocence, that Ailsa couldn't help but chuckle at.

* * *

><p>"What did Peter have to say?" Charlie asked of her younger colleague the moment Shauna had exited Peter's office.<p>

"I've got 12 months to prove myself," Shauna said. "By then, Georgie would've had the kid and returned from maternity leave and at that time, Peter will then weigh up whether there is a position here or not for an extra officer," she said. "It will also be dependent on my attitude and dedication to the job in that period." She shrugged. "It's more than I expected," Shauna admitted. "I haven't exactly displayed an overly enthusiastic desire to remain in the Bay until now and I have made a bad habit of letting my private life intrude at times."

"We've all done that before," Charlie told her. "It is how we respond to making those mistakes, that helps to prove to our senior officers whether we're serious about the job or not."

"I am serious about being a cop, Charlie," Shauna assured her. "I love my job and I even love it here," she said. "It was just the crap with Bianca, then my father, Shannon and all of that, which had me wanting to run away."

"And if things were to end between you and Shannon before your 12 months is up here?"

"I'll still do my job," she said. "I'm not going to make the same mistakes again, Charlie and from now on, I want to face my problems instead of running away like I usually do," Shauna told her. "Now I promised Peter I would give my all and I will, regardless of whatever happens between me and Shannon."

"That's what I want to hear," Charlie said. "You're a good officer Shauna and the potential is there for you to be an outstanding officer if you give yourself a chance."

"I want that chance, Charlie," Shauna told her. "I really do," she asserted. "It's time I got my life in order, both personally and professionally."

"Have you thought of talking to a counsellor?"

"Shannon did suggest that."

"There's no shame in seeking help and it could do you a lot of good," Charlie said.

"I'll think about it."

Charlie nodded and decided not to push the matter too hard. "So, how are you feeling after yesterday's adventures with Shannon and the kids?"

"Amazing, yet still uncertain, if that makes any sense," she replied. "I love Shannon and I'm so happy we're giving us a go, but I'm still uncomfortable and nervous around the kids."

"That's very understandable after only one day," said Charlie. "It took me ages to get used to having a kid around and I was living with Joey and Ruby at the time."

"I really hope I can do this Charlie."

"You've already taken the first steps, now you just need to keep moving forward."

"That's what I want more than anything," she said. "I'm just not sure how far forward I can go with some of it, like with my father."

"The Alf I know is a good man and someone you can rely on," Charlie told her. "He's no longer that immature boy who abandoned you and your mother."

"So everyone says," she murmured.

"You do know that you don't have to rush into sorting everything out in one go," Charlie said to her. "You could work on one issue at a time, then you could deal with the next whenever you're ready to and so on, if that will help to get you through this."

"I guess," Shauna said, then she smiled at her. "Thanks for the advice Charlie, you're a good friend."

"I'm always here for a talk, if that's what you need."

"I'm thinking I need to be talking more to my mother," she murmured. "Especially after yesterday. I kind of unloaded a hell of a lot of stuff on her and we haven't had much of a chance to really talk it over yet," Shauna said. "She was pretty quiet this morning and though she said she's not upset, I know she is."

"We're due to go on patrol in twenty, so we can swing by the store for our morning coffee and you can check in on her then."

"Thanks Charlie."


	118. Chapter 118

_I'm going to be too busy to write this week, so this will be my last update until next weekend. Hope you enjoy it._

* * *

><p>"You think Ailsa will be ok now?" Charlie quietly said to her wife. She and Shauna had arrived at the store just as Ailsa was getting herself together, but it had been obvious to her daughter she'd been crying, so while Joey had made coffee for them all, Ailsa and Shauna had stepped out the back to talk.<p>

"I think both mother and daughter have some heavy times ahead of them, but they're talking about it openly now and in the end, they'll be the better for it."

"I hope so," said Charlie. "This has been a massive road block for Shauna until now," she said. "I even think it's held her back in her career because she's tended to run away instead of confront it, yet now that she is finally getting her life together, I'd like to see her get through this and find the happiness she deserves."

"If Shannon has her way, she'll be putting more than a smile on Shauna's face any chance she gets," Joey cheekily added and Charlie chuckled. It really was wonderful to see the change in both women now that they'd gotten over their habit of pushing love away and seized upon it instead.

"I guess we can chalk up another win for love conquering all," Charlie said.

"Absolutely," Joey said in agreement. "Just look at the success rate lately. Bianca and Georgie, Jack and Fitzy and now the two most pig headed and stubborn of them all, Shannon and Shauna." Joey grinned at her wife. "Maybe we're lucky charms," she jokingly said. "We nearly fucked up our relationship, yet once we learnt the secret of success, it's subconsciously rubbed off on everyone else around us."

"There's nothing subconscious about it my little relationship meddler," Charlie teasingly said.

"Hey, I'm not alone in that," Joey said. She glanced at her watch. "Anyway, it's time I got going," she said. "We have a charter in two hours we need to prepare for."

"Have fun."

"You know how much fun I always have with boats."

"Not as much fun as when you add me to the mix though, right?"

"That's a given baby," she said and brushed her lips across Charlie's. "Take care of the store and I'll see you later."

"Take care of the store?" Charlie murmured. "I'm meant to be on patrol," she muttered. Besides, what the hell did she know about storekeeping? The bell over the door rang as it opened again after Joey's departure. Well, she was about to find out as Mrs Johnson walked in with an empty basket.

* * *

><p>Charlie had just seen Mrs Johnson off when Shauna and her mother returned.<p>

"Call me if you get upset again, mum," Shauna told Ailsa.

"I told you, I didn't want to bother you at work."

"Mum, you're more important, so please, call me if this happens again."

"Ok," Ailsa said. She turned to Charlie. "Did I hear Mrs Johnson before?"

"Yeah, she'll be back later," replied Charlie. "When there is someone here who knows what they're doing with a till." She shrugged a little sheepishly. "Sorry, but my retail skills are a little lacking."

"So you're not perfect at everything and are human after all," said Shauna with a smirk.

"Shhh, don't let that get out or I'll lose my mystique."

"You have a mystique?"

"Oh damn, it's gone already," she complained to the amusement of the two other women.

"I'll shout you a muffin to make you feel better," Shauna offered.

"What about you, are you feeling better?"

Shauna looked to her mother. "Yeah, we're starting to," she said. "Come on, we'd best get back to work."

"Uh hum," coughed Charlie. "You mentioned a muffin?"

Shauna rolled her eyes and pointed to the counter. "Take your pick."

"The extra sized red velvet, please."

"Oh of course, you would have to go for the dearest one," Shauna muttered. "Good thing I know the owner of this place or you'd break my bank."

"It just so happens to be the tastiest."

"I'll take your word on that."

"Are you saying you have never had a red velvet muffin?"

"I like mine plain."

"It's a good thing Joey isn't still here or she'd be trying to convince you to be more adventurous."

"Plain and reliable for me in everything," Shauna said.

"I'd hardly call Shannon plain."

Shauna beamed at her. "Very true," she said. "She is absolutely stunning."

"Thank you very much Ailsa," Charlie said as she practically drooled over the muffin Ailsa had just handed to her.

"I hope you enjoy it."

"Oh I will," she said. "Shauna, you're driving."

"Just don't get it all over the car seat," Shauna said. "That stuff sticks like glue to everything."

"That's part of what makes it so good," Charlie mumbled through a mouthful of muffin. "Mmm, delicious."

"At least now I know how to bribe you in the future," Shauna joked as they left the store.

* * *

><p>"Shannon, calm down," Joey said over the phone. "It's not like Ailsa is a total stranger to you."<p>

"I know that, it just feels like a lifetime since I had to impress the mother of the woman I loved."

"You'll be fine."

"What if she hates me?"

"Then she hates you."

"Gee, thanks a lot Joey."

"Seriously Shannon, there is no way Ailsa will hate you."

"What if she doesn't think I'm good enough for her daughter?"

"Then you'll convince her otherwise."

"Oh god, this is a nightmare."

"You're working yourself up over nothing," Joey told her. "It's just dinner with the woman of your dreams and her mother." Perhaps she should warn Shannon about her advice to Ailsa earlier? Nah. She doubted Ailsa would play it too hard anyway, especially once she saw for herself how happy her daughter and Shannon were together.

"I can't help it Joey."

"Just relax and be yourself."

"I'll try."

"And Shannon, if you have any doubts during the evening, just remember why you are there," she said. "For Shauna."

Even without seeing her friend's face, Joey knew Shannon would be smiling at the mere mention of her girlfriend's name.

"You're right," Shannon said. "And don't say of course you are, because that's just damn annoying."

"Of course it is."

"Brat."

"Enjoy the inquisition tonight."

"Double brat."

"I love you to."

"I love you to brat."

"Bye ungrateful cow."

"Bye brat."

"Shannon panicking over nothing again?" Aden asked her when she hung up.

"Pretty much," Joey said, then her face broke into a huge grin.

"Ok, what have you done?"

"Nothing."

"Oh please, you look like the cat that just ate the budgie."

"And boy was it tasty," she cackled.

"Really Joey, what have you done?"

"I may have encouraged Ailsa to make Shannon squirm a little during their little soiree."

"Shannon is right, you really are a brat."

"Like you haven't done the same."

"That's different," he said with a grin. "Now get back to work."

"Yes oh capitain," she said with a mock salute.

"Brat."

"I should just change my name to brat and be done with it."

"It's certainly appropriate," he cheekily replied. Aden nodded over her shoulder. "Get ready, our clients are here."

Joey turned, then grinned when she saw the women walking toward them. "You lucky bugger, you get to spend four hours with a boat load of women all to yourself."

"Shame I'm gay or that might have actually excited me."

Joey laughed. "I wonder how many will crack on to you before they figure that out."

"Oh god, please no, not that again," he groaned. It'd happened more than once, to his horror and the embarrassment the women inevitably felt when they found out they'd been wasting their time by flirting with a gay man, always made things awkward for the rest of the tour.

"It's all your fault," Joey told him. "It's what you get for being such a handsome and nice guy."

"Maybe they'll all be lesbians and then you'll be the one batting them off you," he said hopefully.

Joey looked to the women again. "Nah, each and every one of them is as straight as an arrow."

"How can you tell?"

"Because their eyes are all looking in one direction and it aint at me."

Aden groaned once more. "You deal with them, I'll steer the boat."

"Coward."

"The advantages of being the captain," Aden said as he greeted the arriving women with a smile. "Welcome aboard," he said. "I hope you enjoy your charter."

"I'm sure we will," one woman said with a lingering gaze on Aden.

Joey grinned at him as the last woman came aboard. "It's going to be a great day out on the water today."

"I'll owe you big time if you keep them off me," he said.

"Done."


	119. Chapter 119

Come Saturday morning, there was a knock on the door at 10 am, on the dot.

"Work party reporting for duty as requested, ma'ams," Joey said, as she and the others stood to attention on the doorstep of Georgie and Bianca's place.

Georgie ran a keen eye across the women, appraising each individual. "I hope you're up for a bit of hard work," she said, her eyes sparkling in amusement at the seriousness on each face.

"Because my girlfriend is an absolute slave driver," Bianca piped in from behind her.

"We're ready to work our fingers to the bone," Joey informed them with a crisp reply.

Georgie looked to her girlfriend. "What do you think? Are they up to scratch?"

"Only one way to find out," Bianca said. "Work party, to the nursery," she ordered.

"Yes ma'am," they all said.

Georgie chuckled as Joey, Charlie, Shannon, Shauna, Leah and Fitzy marched in unison passed her and her girlfriend.

"Oh look Bianca, our very own little regiment of workers," she laughingly said to her girlfriend.

"What else do you reckon we can get them to do while they're here?" Bianca mused.

"I'm sure I can think of something while I watch you guys work," she smirked. "I just wish I could join in," Georgie murmured. "I miss a bit of hard work and having the odd wine."

Bianca rested her hand on her girlfriend's belly. "I promise that when this baby is born, I'll bath you in wine to make up for it."

"Bath me in wine, really?"

"Wine flavoured girlfriend is delicious," Bianca whispered sexily in her ear. "Licking every drop from your skin, mmm, mmm, divine."

"Oh god," moaned a now heated Georgie. "I think I need a shower now."

"I'll get the wine," quipped Bianca.

"You're not helping."

"You can make me pay later."

"Believe me, I will."

* * *

><p>"So, with Jack and Peter both at work, where did you all stash your kids for the day?" Fitzy asked as they looked around the room they were about to paint.<p>

"All five are with Aden and Geoff," Joey said with a smirk. "What can I say, Aden owed me big time."

"What could you possibly have done for Aden for him to owe you big time like that?"

"I protected and kept him safe from the ravenous attention of a boatload of straight women."

"Does that happen often?" she asked with amused curiosity.

"Occasionally," replied Joey. "But even once is almost more than Aden can handle."

"Why doesn't he just make it known from the start that he's with a man?"

"That just encourages some people," Charlie said knowingly. "I used to get it all the time. A guy would crack onto me, I'd inform him I'm gay and you could see the challenge light up in his eyes at the idea of converting a lesbian."

"How did you deal with it?" asked Fitzy.

"The next words out of my mouth were usually, I'm a cop with a big fucking gun that I know how to use."

"And did that work?"

"Surprisingly well when you pointed toward their groin as you said it."

Fitzy laughed.

"What about you Fitzy, have you ever had to deal with unwanted advances?" Leah asked her.

"Sure and I've also played the cop card, though without the gun part," she said. "Unfortunately, being a cop also made it harder to get a date when I actually wanted one. For some reason, a lot of guys were intimidated at the idea of dating a cop."

"Some just don't like the idea of strong, confident women," Leah said. "In my case, it was coming from a family of Greeks that scared some guys off. My brothers are harmless, if a little overprotective and they did their fair share of scaring off potential suitors during my High School years."

"That must have been a pain in the arse," said Joey.

"Frustrating as hell," she said. "I had no idea why boys would ask me out, only to then bail at the last minute, until I caught Chris warning a guy off. When I realised what they'd been up to behind my back, I got my revenge and they stayed out of my love life from then on."

"Dare we ask what that revenge was?" said Shannon.

"Let's just say that all three had girl issues for a time."

"Remind me to never get on your bad side," said Shauna.

"My husband happens to love my bad side," Leah smirkingly said.

"Eww, too much info on the boss," groaned Shauna, causing Leah to laugh.

Charlie knelt by the tins on the floor. "Ooh, I love this colour," she said after she took the lid off the nearest paint tin.

"There's a surprise," Joey bemusedly said. "Since you wear that blue every time you put on your uniform."

"Maybe we could paint our room like this," Charlie suggested as she stirred the paint.

"Then I'd never get to see you much," joked Joey.

"Huh?"

"You'd blend into the background every time you dressed for work," Joey pointed out.

"Oh." Joey rolled her eyes at her confusion.

Shannon peered over their shoulders at the paint. "Ok, I'm about to have a complete girly moment," she said. "Now that we're here and the paint is ready to go, does anyone know what hell we're meant to do next?"

"I've never painted in my life," said Shauna.

"Me either," added Fitzy.

"I did decorate VJ's nursery when he was a baby," Leah said. "But that was more just sticking strips of wallpaper pictures on the wall."

"Is there anyone here who has painted a room before?" Joey asked.

Each head shook in the negative.

"We didn't think this through very clearly, did we?" murmured Charlie.

"Georgie!" Joey called out.

"What is it?" Georgie said as she and Bianca joined them in the room.

"We need supervising," said Joey. "Starting with, where do we start?"

Georgie turned to her girlfriend. "Don't look at me," said Bianca. "Why do you think I wanted their help?"

"Ok," Georgie said, deciding to take charge. "I mean, how hard can this be," she said. "You put the paint on the brush and then it goes onto the walls."

"Aren't we meant to remove the wallpaper or something first?" said Leah.

"And which do we use first, this or this?" Shauna said, holding up a brush and a roller in each hand.

"I think the alcohol might need to be first," joked Joey.

"Well, this is going to be interesting," murmured Georgie.

* * *

><p>After some quick googling on DIY room decorating, Georgie set her workers to work.<p>

"You missed a spot," she said from where she was seated just outside the room, since Bianca wouldn't let her stay in the room with all the paint fumes.

Her girlfriend turned to glare at her.

"You all asked me to supervise, so I'm supervising," Georgie said.

"A little less on the micro supervising though," Bianca murmured.

"Your brush is dripping," Georgie sweetly said to her girlfriend.

"I feel like we've been here before with Supervisor Watson," Joey said.

"Yeah, and this time she doesn't have the excuse of looking out for the kids while we moved all the boxes around at Shannon's place," said Charlie.

"True, but as with moving day, I'm still a pregnant, injured woman," Watson pointed out. "Actually, I'm even more pregnant."

"She has a point," Bianca said. "I have even more belly to kiss these day."

"Bianca!" squeaked her now blushing girlfriend.

"Play nice and I'll do the same," Bianca sweetly fired back at her.

"Fine, but you're still dripping everywhere."

"Shit," muttered Bianca, wiping at the paint on her shoes, only to smear the paint even more.

* * *

><p>"My little Smurfette," Charlie said, brushing her lips over Joey's.<p>

"Oh god, how much paint am I wearing on my face?"

"An adorable amount."

"It's probably just as well we held off on the booze till later then or we might have been swimming in this stuff," she murmured.

"Ooh, you missed a spot," Charlie said, dabbing at the tip of Joey's nose with her brush.

"Thanks a lot."

"You are cute when you're blue," Charlie sang.

"I think you need some fresh air, the fumes are getting to you," Joey said.

"Very quite possibly so."

"Fresh air, now."

"Yes my lovely little Smurfette."

* * *

><p>"Oh, by the way Joey, thanks a lot," Shannon said when they were the only two left in the room.<p>

"For what?"

"You think I didn't see your fingerprints all over Ailsa's little performance during dinner with her and Shauna the other night?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Joey innocently replied.

"Yeah, right," she drawled. "You're just damn lucky I survived the evening."

"From what I heard, Ailsa was very impressed with you."

"Really?"

Joey nodded. "She thinks you're going to be a wonderful influence on her daughter."

"That's nice to hear, because Shauna is doing wonders for me as well," Shannon admitted. "I will never forget Mandy, but it's nice to be in love again," she said. "I missed the intimacy. It's one thing to have casual sex, yet a completely different experience to make love to a woman you desire more each day."

"I'm so happy for you."

"Thanks Joey."

* * *

><p>Some hours and a few missteps later, the work party was able to relax around the kitchen table, their work done.<p>

"I think we all deserve a big congratulations on a job well done," Georgie said, holding her glass of juice in the air. "Especially you guys," she said. "I couldn't have done it without you," she couldn't resist adding with a cheeky smile.

"I'm actually surprised we had enough paint for the walls," Charlie joked. With the exception of Georgie, all the women were wearing different amounts of paint on their faces and clothing, Bianca the worst affected, with her habit of having too much paint on her brush coming back to haunt her.

"Today was a lot of fun," Joey said. "Though my shoulders might not be thinking that tomorrow," she said, rolling her shoulders back and forth. "Can't remember the last time I had my arms up so much."

"I'm the same," said Shannon.

"Then it's a good thing I got you these," Georgie told them. She handed each woman an envelope. "They're vouchers for that new spa n' massage place that just opened up."

"Oh wow, I am so going to enjoy this," Charlie said. "Thanks Georgie."

"Yeah, thanks," the others all added.

"You all deserve it," she said.

"Ah hum," Bianca cleared her throat. "Where's mine?"

"You get your own personal massage from me," Georgie said. "With a few extras thrown in for free," she added more quietly. "As for everyone else, the food and drink is now ready to be served."

"Woo hoo, plaster time," Joey cried out.

"Oh god, not more DIYing," groaned Charlie with a grin at her wife.

"This is the liquid in a glass kind of plastering," Joey said.

"My favourite sort," said Charlie. "Not too much though, because we'll need to remain coordinated enough to get this paint off us later."

"A shared shower will see to that," Joey whispered to her.

"I knew I loved you for a reason."

"Only for my paint stripping skills?"

"One of many skills," Charlie murmured with a teasing grin.

Georgie held a plate up. "Who's for some finger food?"

"I think we'll each be having some of that later when we're home," Joey smirked. "But I'll settle for some of those cheese and pickle ones for now."


	120. Chapter 120

"Are they the new rosters?" Shauna asked Charlie early Monday morning.

"Yep, just about done."

"Before you finish, could I ask a favour first?" Shauna said somewhat tentatively.

Charlie looked up from the spreadsheet she was working on. "Sure, what is it?"

"Can you not schedule me in for any Wednesday mornings for the foreseeable future?" she said. "It's just that I've decided to see a counsellor and that's the only day and time she can fit me in."

"Of course," Charlie said without hesitation, even though it meant she now had to entirely redo the roster she'd nearly completed. "I'm really glad you're taking this step, Shauna."

"I've avoided it for long enough, just like I avoided ever speaking about these things," Shauna told her. "It's time though, not just for me, but for mum and for Shannon," she said. "Mum went through so much when she lost me and after what I told her, she's feeling guilty. I keep telling her she's not to blame, but it's going to take a bit more to convince her. Then there's Shannon. I've always held a part of me back from everyone and if I'm ever to have a proper relationship with Shannon, I need to be able to be there for her completely."

"Sounds like you really thought this through," Charlie said.

Shauna nodded. "I've known for a long time that I couldn't get past this on my own, yet I always kept putting it off."

"Joey was the same," said Charlie. "It just needed to be the right time for her, regardless of what anyone else was telling her."

"I feel the same," replied Shauna. "This isn't just about mum and Shannon, it's that for the first time in my life, I feel ready for this." She smiled a little wryly. "It still scares the hell out of me though."

"Understandable," said Charlie. "The coming weeks are likely to be emotionally draining and hard for you, not to mention, for your loved ones around you," she said. "And as I've said before, if you need someone else to talk to beyond Ailsa and Shannon, I'm here for you."

"Thanks Charlie," she said. Shauna sat on the edge of Charlie's desk. "The other thing I have to deal with is Alf. We are talking to each other, but it's so hard. Every time we're in the same room, facing each other, I just feel so conflicted," Shauna told her. "I've always blamed him for what happened to me, yet at the same time, I know how unfair it is to blame him for what those others did to me," she said. "It's messed up, but it's just that blaming him was my way of dealing with what was happening to me at the time and it's like an automatic response for me, even now when I don't want it to be."

"If it helps, I have noticed a difference in you since you began talking to Alf."

"Really?"

"Just little things, but they're there, so you're clearly benefitting from talking to him in some way."

"I do want to get past this hate and feel better inside, just like mum did when she forgave him," she murmured. "He's my old man after all and he does seem genuinely sorry for abandoning mum as he did," Shauna said. "And I've heard the way he's been sticking up for mum and me since it all got out. He could have just let mum carry all the blame as he did when he left her holding the baby, but he hasn't. He's defended her and tried to take his share of the shit."

"Because he matured from that selfish teenager and grew into being a good man," Charlie said. "Shauna, when you speak to him, are you alone?"

Shauna nodded.

"Maybe next time, you could have Ailsa or Shannon there with you as support."

"Or both," murmured Shauna. "Double the strength, so to speak."

"Whatever makes you feel the most comfortable," Charlie said. "And Shauna, that's just my opinion and while I could try to tell you what to do, as can everyone else, at the end of the day, you have to do things as they are best for you, in your own way and own time."

"I know, but I do appreciate the suggestions nonetheless," she replied. "And I especially appreciate the support I'm getting from everyone. It's such a relief to know I can talk to people, not just counting my counsellor."

"We just want to help you through this."

"Thanks, because I don't think I'd have been able to do this without the support of others."

* * *

><p>Shannon groaned as she rubbed her shoulder. "God, my arms still feel like lead weights."<p>

"You should have gone to the spa yesterday like Charlie and I did," Joey told her. "It was incredible and by the end, we felt refreshed and like new women."

"Oh god, that sounds wonderful," she moaned. "And I really wanted to go yesterday, but Shauna had to work and I didn't want to go without her, so we'll be going straight to the spa after her shift this afternoon." Shannon groaned again. "If I can survive waiting for that long."

"Now I know you're exaggerating."

"Joey, I'm a writer who sits on her arse for most of her working day," she petulantly said. "Physical labour isn't something I'm used to."

"I do a bit on the boat, especially when we have to set up for a charter," Joey boasted, before smiling wryly at her friend. "But even I have to admit that I was pretty worn out by the end of our paint party and by the time Charlie and I had showered and gotten the paint off us, we pretty much hit the sack like a tonne of bricks and slept right through the night."

"So did Shauna and I."

"I thought you were taking things slowly."

"Turns out abstaining from the physical side of our relationship just made us feel worse, so we relented," Shannon said with a sheepish grin. "Not every night as we were beforehand, just like once or twice in the past week to release any sexual frustration and this time, Shauna stays the entire night without sneaking out before the kids are up like she used to."

"So how long did you last before succumbing to your carnal needs?"

Shannon looked even more sheepish as she replied. "Three nights."

"God, you two are hopeless."

"As if you and Charlie could have survived any longer yourselves."

"No comment," Joey said with a huge grin.

"That says it all," Shannon said and groaned again. "I do think breaking our pledge has come back on me though," she bemoaned. "Shauna having to leave early for work yesterday meant I've had to suffer ever since."

"I guess we were lucky in that neither of us had to work yesterday and could go to the spa and be pampered for the day."

"Now you're just teasing me."

"No, just letting you know you're going to be in for an absolute treat that will make this all go away," she said. "You just have to hang in there."

"A little help with some coffee and food might help," Shannon suggested.

"I can help out until I have to go to work, then you're going to have to manage on your own."

"You owe me."

"For what?"

"For that little trick you pulled on me with Ailsa," she said. "You know, the one you tried to deny having a hand in the other day."

"You should be thanking me for doing you a favour."

"A favour?" Shannon said incredulously. "How do you figure that?"

"Well, you were nervous going in, right?"

"Right."

"So when Ailsa was a little standoffish with you, what did you do?" Joey said.

"I turned on the charm."

"And forgot about your nerves in the process," Joey knowingly said. "You're a trained public speaker who has met thousands of people during your book tours and seminars, yet you always told me that no matter how many times you give speeches at these events, you are always nervous at the start."

"And so I'd usually find a face in the crowd that looked a little bored or adversarial, and then the competitive side of me couldn't help but rise to the challenge of engaging their lack of interest and changing their minds." Shannon stared at Joey. "So you're telling me that you set Ailsa onto me so I'd respond in the same way and rise to the challenge?"

"Yep," the grinning Joey replied.

"And if I hadn't responded as you had expected me to, then what?"

"I figured Ailsa wouldn't take it too far, especially once she saw how happy you and Shauna are together."

Shannon continued to stare at her friend. "I'm not sure whether to hug you or strangle you or call bullshit right now," she murmured.

"Thank me."

"That depends on whether you're bullshitting me right now or not."

"Can't you tell?"

Shannon's eyes narrowed. "Not really," she admitted. "Because behind that little Miss Innocent exterior, I know there lies the heart of a trickster and so I can't always tell whether you are playing me or not."

"Then you'll just have to take my word that I was doing you a favour."

Shannon's eyes narrowed further and Joey grinned even broader in response.

"Bet you've forgotten about your aching arms while you've been glaring at me."

"God you're an annoying pain in the arse," muttered Shannon, because Joey was right, she had temporarily forgotten the aching in her body.

"So are you, but I love you any way."

"It's a good thing I love you too," Shannon fired back.

"Or what?"

"I'm a writer, I'm sure I could have thought of something."

Joey laughed. "How about you think up a nice cup of coffee and cake and I'll make it appear."

"Done."


End file.
